My Autobiography: David Balleza K(C)atague: Chapter 15: Golden Wedding Entourage and Party( Dinah)

Friday, December 16, 2011

Chapter 15: Golden Wedding Entourage and Party( Dinah)

Absent Grand Children-Philip, Alix and Marina Katague

Dave and Macrine Katague Wedding, May, 8, 1957

Golden Wedding Entourage,December,2007

This is the wedding entourage during our Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration at the Boac Cathedral, December, 2007. If you are reading this blog and you are over 65, you are indeed a rare human being. Let me explain why. Based on the current survey, the majority of blog users ranged in ages from 12 to 40. Only a minority of blog users (filipino or filipino-Americans,and others) are over 65 years old. Anyway, thank you for visiting my blog site.I hope to see you soon in Marinduque-my island paradise and Heaven on Earth.
NOTE:Today,I found out there are over seven million bloggers in the world and blogging started in 2003.I just started last May,and really enjoying this activity. Currently,I have seven blog sites on various topics. I hope you enjoy visiting at least one of my site.

The David King Family at our Golden Wedding Anniversary
The following is from Dinah's Christmas Newsletter, describing the family's trip to the Philippines during our golden wedding anniversary celebrations as well as the current status of her children, Ian and Elaine as well as husband, David King.

I'm here again at my favorite time of the year. Besides good food, we all make an extra effort to remember those people who have touch our lives in a positive memorable ways this past year. This time of the year always give me a special glow inside that makes me grateful for all the blessings in my life. Now, allow me talk about my favorite subject. My family of course!
Our 2008 year, actually started in December, 2007. On the 20th of December, Lolo Katague's birthday, the King family boarded an airplane at the SFO International Airport headed to the Philippines, to spend 16 days experiencing the country of my parent's birth and to celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary. I could spend pages describing what a wonderful experience this was for everyone, but then I would just bore you all. Meeting all the cousins, eating, drinking, dancing, joking, betting, taking risks, attending cock fights, picnic excursion, riding tricycles and jeepneys and even destroying the natural coral reefs by shooting firecrackers into the ocean, as well as swimming and snorkeling and experiencing a wonderful culture and family that has lived half a world away, makes me feel so blessed to have been able to share this experience with my children and husband.
A big "THANK YOU" to all the Nieva's and Jambalos side of the family for making us feel a part of your lives. We have all agreed to make the trip again in four years. Then, maybe this time, we can spend a month and get to know the Katague's side of the family.
Upon returning to the Unites States, I was greeted with the fact that my contract work was not going to be renewed, because my employer had been laying off people since September. This was not unexpected and it gives me time to look for another job.

By the time you get this letter, I will have entered my second art show and sale. I have actually sold pieces of my pottery, so to be able to make this hobby a saleable endeavor is exciting.
Ian is now a senior in high school. He spent his summer life guarding and enjoying swim team activities and water polo. Unfortunately, during the second week of water polo practice, he messed up his ACL and meniscus in his left knee. His surgery went well but was on crutches for 12 weeks. Now he has an after school job, as a day care counselor at a local elementary school. The kids and staff all love him. Last May, Ian also got his driver's license and now a big help, driving her sister and me around.

Ian and Elaine with Badger and Phantom
Elaine is also doing well. She finished off her freshman year as being the best back stroker in the Junior Varsity Swim Team. She has also joined the 15-18 age group water polo team. Their water polo team made it to the quarter finals in NCS. This was the highest level in the Las Lomas High School girls history. She ended up with the third highest shooting percentage in the team. The most amazing thing is, she is only 15 years old.
For Dave, he has been diligent in his yoga and exercise program. He has lost a total of 20 lbs. Unfortunately for him and family, his last day of work was on November 26.
His company, a home Equity company has also been affected by the mortgage crisis. He is looking at being laid off as an opportunity to start a new adventure in life and not a depressing and anxiety filled and stressful situation. With this positive attitude, it is only a matter of time before that new adventure will appear.
Note: On April 1, 2009, both Dinah and Dave started working for a local bank on a contract basis. Hopefully as the economy improves, they will be converted into permanent employees with all benefits restored. Please include them in your prayers.
So, as I conclude this annual newsletter, I want to bring to all of you the blessing of our gratitude for being a part of our lives this year. May all the joys of the season be with you this Christmas and New Year. Namaste, Dinah Katague King

Dinah and husband, Dave King
Note: Dinah is my oldest daughter. She was born in Chicago, Illinois. She obtained her BA degree from Sacramento State University and Masters Certificate in Paralegal Studies at St. Mary College in Moraga, California. She was formerly married to David King, a former classmate. They have two children, Ian, 20 and Elaine, 18, both college students.

4 comments:

yanxandvanzNovember 2, 2012 at 8:41 AM
Wow! We also wish to celebrate 50 years of marital bliss...so beautiful! Congratulations Dave and Macrine! God bless...
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David B KatagueNovember 2, 2012 at 9:22 AM
Yanx and Vanz, thank you for your comment! When will be your golden wedding anniversary?
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yanxandvanzJuly 21, 2013 at 12:19 AM
We just celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. Marinduque is a beautiful island! We have relatives living there. Hopefully, we will be back next year. We wrote about Marinduque on our blog: yanxandvanz.blogspot.com. You may want to visit our blog and we would try to drop by chateaudumer in our next visit at Marinduque.
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Highlights of My Professional Career

In my more than 40 years of professional career, I have experienced both working rank and file, as well as supervising the work of subordinates. I have worked in four private firms and the Federal Government, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I retired. I enjoyed the challenges and difficulties of both types of job situations. This is the highlights of my work experience story.

My first job after completing my doctorate degree was a Chemist for Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a subsidiary of Bayer Corporation, a German conglomerate. I worked for the analytical chemistry department comprised of about fifty people; half that number was either chemists or biologists. My specific task was to develop analytical methods for the detection of pesticide residues in plant and animal tissues. I worked on my own, similar to six other bench chemists, and we all reported to the same supervisor.

The firm sponsored my visa conversion from a student to a permanent resident, and I was able to legally work and reside in the United States with my family. The company generously took care of its employees. At the end of each successful year, everyone received a 13th month salary bonus. The employees and their families celebrated wonderful annual Christmas parties in a downtown Kansas City hotel, with dancing and free drinks for the whole night.

Inasmuch as I enjoyed and loved working for Chemagro for five years, I found a new job which offered a substantially higher pay. Due to my exemplary work performance, my supervisor preferred and lobbied for me to stay with the company. I had to turn him down because they could not match the package presented by my new employer. It was also a chance for me and my family to move and live in the US west coast, where the mild winter climate is bearable compared to the Midwest.

My next job was at the agricultural research division of Shell Development Company in Modesto, California. I was a Research Chemist, and again I worked individually, same as five other chemists who all reported to a supervisor. My specific duty was similar to my previous job. I worked for them for five years, until the company decided to get out of the pesticide business. They closed their research facility affecting the jobs of more than 200 employees.

My third industrial job was with the agricultural research division of Stauffer chemical company, located in Richmond, California. I was a Senior Research Chemist doing the same project as my two previous jobs. I worked for twelve continuous years for the company, with outstanding annual job performance. I became a Principal Research Chemist, the highest attainable non-supervisory position.

One day in 1986, my supervisor informed me that my job had been eliminated, and I had one day to vacate the facility. It was the most dreadful lay off experience in my life. I felt anger, sadness and humiliation to be dismissed from work with one day notice, after all the years of hard work invested for the company. This was an unforgettable incident and was the gloomiest point in my professional career.
The company terminated sixty research employees, who were upset of the bad news.

One of the chemists was distressed and expressed his outrageous anger by threatening the company and its workers. He told his supervisor of his intention to bomb and burn down the laboratory. He was immediately escorted by the security staff out of the building and into his car. He was informed to leave behind his personal belongings; they will be mailed to his residence. He was warned never to show up again near the company premises or risk getting arrested.

My supervisor was kind and allowed me to take my time to pack up my belongings. It took me two days to clear up my workplace, after toiling for a long period in the same jobsite. We were provided clerical help and office space, in preparation to look for another job, such as updating our resumes, and using the computer and copy machine. We were given six weeks of separation pay plus benefits.

Fortunately, with the help of a friend who is a Church parishioner, I found another job thirty days after leaving Stauffer chemical company. He hired me as a senior research chemist and as a group leader with two technicians to supervise. It was in the same field as my expertise in my previous three jobs spanning the last twenty one years. My new employer was Chevron Chemical Company, and which was located in the same area as my former employer.

This job gave me the introduction and basic knowledge of managing the work of subordinates. I worked for Chevron Company for four and a half years. The company decided to consolidate their research facilities in Texas, and lay off all its research employees. This time I had enough distress and agony from working, and eventually getting laid off from several private companies. To avoid going through any more miserable layoffs, I made a vow that I would never again work for a private company.

In my work experiences, there were noticeable and unavoidable jobsite occurrences. One can never miss the office romantic relationships between co-workers, both illicit and permitted. Though it was frowned upon, there was a boss and staff relationship, which was used as a ploy to get ahead in the company. Some relationships had chemistry, no pun intended, but some never worked out. Oftentimes, there was a sense of distrust among bench chemists for some workers who unjustly obtained preferred work assignments.

Some employees resorted to bribing superiors to get special privileges, such as being able to attend choice conferences and meetings in exciting venues or locations. Likewise, politics was always present at the worksites. It was during an era when various forms of harassment, equal opportunity and discrimination laws were not yet enforced in the workplace. Occasionally, an unexpected chemical explosion happens in a laboratory setting, where luckily no one got seriously hurt.

In the three private companies I worked for, I was able to publish scientific journals for some of the research studies and analytical methods which I developed for the respective companies of Chemagro, Shell Development and Stauffer.

After deciding and making a vow to avoid working in the private sector, I made my new goal which was either to work for the state of California, or the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Four months after I lost my job in Chevron, I was lucky and joyful to be hired by the Food and Drug Administration as a review chemist in the fall of 1990.

In 1994 I was promoted as an Expert Research Chemist with a GS-14 rating. My expertise was on Anti-malarial and Anti-parasitic drug products. In 1997, I was again deservingly promoted to Chemistry team leader, supervising the work of six Chemistry reviewers including five with doctorate degrees.

As team leader, I was responsible for prioritizing, assigning, and assuring the technical accuracy of all chemistry, manufacturing and control issues for all new drug applications submitted to the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs.

It was part of my responsibility to give advice, instruct and promote high morale and teamwork in my group. My work in the FDA is confidential, until the drug patent on the products I worked on has expired. There are manufacturing supplements that I have approved that are now open for the public in the Internet.

In 1998, I won the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award. The citation reads, “For outstanding accomplishments in fostering the objectives of the EEO Program by hiring minorities and encouraging their professional growth while providing excellent leadership.” I have received numerous certificates of appreciation, awards in leadership and communications, commendation for teamwork and excellence in the accomplishment of the FDA mission. I have also received several letters of appreciation from private industry for my review work.

There are many good things working as rank and file while enjoying doing one’s job individually. It is a humbling, satisfying and productive experience, if one can work in harmony with one’s immediate supervisor. Working individually develops one’s skills in goal setting and scheduling. But in general, the financial rewards are less than a person who has supervisory responsibilities.

Managing the work of others has its challenges. Moreover, it develops one’s skill in handling and developing people, and the compensation rewards and benefits are better. Due to additional duties, responsibilities and leadership, supervisory work can be more stressful than working as a subordinate. However, supervisory jobs give one more personal growth and satisfaction, based on my personal experience. My work in FDA as a team leader managing the work of six scientists had been the happiest and rewarding work experience in my career in Chemistry. You might also like:

Friday, December 16, 2011

Chapter 15: Golden Wedding Entourage and Party( Dinah)

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