Our Newest American (in a 4753-way tie)

After months of paperwork, hundreds of dollars in fees and a scary interview and quiz with an Immigration Officer, Huong finally got to take her Oath last Friday and become an American. 

We arrived early so I got a front row seat in the spectator section. In about two hours, 4753 immigrants slowly filled the large hall. Most applicants walked alone but a few were in pairs, maybe sibling combinations. At least seven wore U.S. military uniforms. Most people dressed up in a suit and tie or a nice dress. The poorer people did their best. The screens beside the giant American flag gave the statistics. Exactly 133 countries were represented here. The top five countries were Mexico, Philippines, El Salvador, Iran and Guatemala, in that order. 

A clerk announced how the LA Convention Center was going to become a temporary courtroom. We all stood as the judge entered. He granted some legal motions and swore in the crowd with an Oath. He welcomed and congratulated the new Americans. Everyone applauded and several people cheered. The crowd recited the same Pledge of Allegiance that every American learns in grade school. A talented black singer sang The National Anthem. Some spectators and a few new Americans sang along. A video played on the big screens while Lee Greenwood's I'm Proud To Be An American played in the background. It was all very moving. There's something about patriotism and large groups that puts a lump in my throat every time.  

We went to The Pantry for Huong's first real American breakfast as a real American. 

Riley the Trombonist

This blurry photo is Riley as I sit behind her at her BJH Band performance. The best performers go on last, so she is waiting with the rest of her audience in the back of the auditorium. The girl sitting next to her is Madamba Number Two, I found out.

At the end of the performance, the teacher wanted to make a note that out of all these kids, only a few kids tried out for the So Cal Honor Band, only one performer made the band and only one performer made "alternate". Riley was the one that made alternate and all her fellow band members applauded. Riley is not one to seek the limelight, so it was unusual to hear her name. Naturally, she turned bright red in the back of the brass section as she stood up. Nice job, Riley!

Holden in the Kitchen

Holden has ADHD. When he is around his brother and sister, or his friends, he empties his energy reserves by jumping, whistling, dancing, or something else which might be annoying. When it's just the two of us, he does some kind of project like cooking. It might be because I don't react or get annoyed easily.

In this case, he made cookies. These were delicious Nutella cookies. They are like chocolate chip cookies with a Nutella center. After that, he cleaned up the cookie mess and started carving apples based on a Youtube he found. The swan you see what his first try. I love it when he does stuff like this.

Christmas Family Photo

Hey, look at my happy, attractive kids! Yes they are happy; those are genuine smiles. I hear about the challenges some parents have at my job and I know I'm a lucky dad. It seems strange to say I have a 10, 13 and 17 year-old! These kids are pretty great. Holden is just about to join the gymnastics team. Riley is focused on her trombone and school. DJ is looking forward to joining the Marines - this summer or after college.

Another Caltech Visit

I had to upload this real quick to get it on the blog in case Holden becomes a famous scientist someday. Riley is on her way to being a scientist, too, but I only have this pic of Holden.

This is a picture of Holden sitting in Baxter Lecture Hall at Caltech playing an iPad game that quizzes him on the Periodic Table of Elements. We were there for a Skeptics Society lecture on magic (nearly all magicians are skeptics). Holden has been playing this game for a while now and discovered it on his own.

Bringing the kids to Caltech for this lecture gives me the opportunity to talk up college a bit and explain how it works.

Family Trip to Plano TX

We just got back from a trip to Plano, Texas. My company sent me and a guest there to get a feel for the place because my job is moving there in 2017 with or without me. Holden and I flew American Airlines and Riley, DJ and Huong flew on Spirit Airlines.

 
The houses in the suburbs North of Dallas like Plano and Frisco are beautiful. The garages are in the back, the master bedroom is on the first floor. They are made of brick instead of stucco. The only problem is they all look like this. I prefer a little more variety but since all the neighborhoods are new, this is what you get if you want to live in Plano. We could actually afford this house which seems strange.

In an average Orange County neighborhood, this house would really stand out, but in Plano it's par for the course.

We did visit Highland Park which had one unusual house. This house isn't for sale but there is something about it that I really like. If I had to move to Texas, I might look for something really unusual like this.

We found Kenny's BBQ and tried their one dollar brisket tacos. We ended up eating 19 of them. They also had a smoked Makers Mark which was really good. The kids were amazed by the food, especially Riley.

Holden and DJ found a climbing tree. DJ lost Holden's sandal inside the tree and it took a while to fish it out.

The shops in Plano are very nice with lots of places to walk around and discover new food. It is extremely clean and safe. It's like another world when compared to Southern California.

Riley's Face

Even up close this looks so weird.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Riley Borklund" <riley@borklund.net>
Date: Oct 31, 2014 9:39 AM
Subject:
To: <dustin@borklund.net>
Cc:











Sent from my iPhone

Game 6

These young time wasters wouldn't let me watch Game 6 in peace with their incessant questions so I turned it off and took them for ice cream.

Riley Plays With High School Band

Riley has been looking forward to playing trombone with the BOHS band at their homecoming game. She got a new hairstyle and check out those trombone earrings!

Holden Challenges Riley to Lift Him

Holden has been getting stronger thanks to time and a chin up bar I installed. He can lift Riley up but can't carry her. He gave the same challenge to Riley and she easily picked up his 74 lbs. I was on the couch (surprise) and saw a photo opportunity. Huong did too and photo bombed Riley and Holden. I like the picture because it shows how happy everyone is.

Miramar MCAS Air Show

We attended the Miramar Marine Corp Air Station Air Show on Sunday. This was my first air show. My total exposure to air shows was the bloopers on Youtube and the news when things go wrong. I wasn't expecting anything to go wrong and nothing did. The Navy and Marines put on a good show and many maneuvers looked dangerous but that's the idea.

For being so close to the beach, the weather was very hot - in the high nineties the whole time. Full sun, of course, since you can't see anything from the shade. Luckily, we took the RV which got us preferential free parking and a place to retreat to when the sun got too hot. Just before the last show, which was the Blue Angels, we went to the RV in the parking lot and turned the air conditioner on.

Everyone got on the roof just in the time for the Blue Angels show. It was an amazing show and we were in the perfect spot because they came directly overhead several times.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RILEY

I had this message put on the Brea Junior High School message board. My only regret is that I didn't put something more original like "You're a woman today!" or something else funnier than Happy Birthday. As it is she is going to get some extra love and attention from her classmates today.

USC

Riley, Huong and I went to USC today to see the campus. Riley has been interested in visiting colleges and this weekend was her weekend alone with me. During our walk we found a real Starbucks on campus.Also during our walk, a USC vs. Stanford game ended cheers erupted from the dorms. We Are the Champions played on an endless loop.

Somebody Won an iPad

The owner of my insurance agency, Summer Group, called me at work to tell me to watch the video he just emailed to his customers. "I think you should watch it.", he said. I knew immediately that I won something but I played along and brought the video up on my phone. I had to act surprised but really I was just happy. Here is the video:

I know I am lucky even though I don't believe in luck as a paranormal phenomenon. I believe the more prepared you are, the luckier you get. However, when I think back to all the prizes I've won (including the car DJ drives, raffles at work, cakewalks, trade show raffles, etc.) that have little do to with preparation, skill or talent, I know that I am luckier than most people. I can't remember the last time I lost money in Vegas, for example, even if I only played chance games. The stocks I've picked have been nearly all winners.

DJ brought up a good point about my lifelong ability to play cards (there was a period of time when I relied upon poker winnings to make ends meet). He said, "Dad, what if you're not that good at poker - just lucky?" I have thought about that. I'm horrible at chess but I win at games that include an element of luck such as backgammon. The evidence seems to support his hypothesis. I am over confident in my mental ability primarily due to what poker players have called "a golden horseshoe shoved up [my] ass." I love to hear that when I'm scooping a big pot. You see, in poker, every win looks like luck.

Maybe some people just have a lifetime of good fortune. Maybe it's just attitude or maybe it's possible to win 50.1% of your even money bets over a lifetime which means you're always ahead. If so, I'm grateful it's me.

Best Seats at Angels Game

This is ironic. I decide to take Holden to an Angels game because he is starting to follow baseball. I overspend and pay $300 for tickets with a face value of $550 because I can't pass up a deal. Holden wants an Angels shirt to wear to the game, so we go to Goodwill and find one for $1.99 with no tax. 

The parking pass with its own entrance was way cool and the seats in the front row of field level were cool. The weather was not cool. The sun beat down on us the entire game. We brought food and water and Holden kept going to the snack bar for ice. Can't afford Cokes when we just spent a days wages on tickets, right? Holden did get a game ball when Eric Aybar tossed him one on his way into the dugout.

It's the most I've ever spent for a baseball game. Now I feel like I owe Riley and DJ an expensive outing doing something they like.

Pageant of the Masters

I brought the kids to Pageant of the Masters for the first time. Huong was travelling. We spent some time at Laguna Beach (which has two Starbucks but only one has seating) before having dinner and going to the show. Dinner was pita sandwiches from a popular place called Adonis Mediterranean Grill. At $10 each, they aren't cheap but they are overstuffed with the best ingredients you can get at a fast food gyro place. They have beef gyro and chicken only. Both meats are on vertical spits; the chicken one just stacked with a hundred or so marinated chicken breasts so when they slice it off it's against the grain and super tender white meat. Inside the pita is a delicious garlic yogurt spread, too.

The show itself was a little disappointing because the seats I got were too far away and we didn't bring binoculars. The scenes on the stage did look like paintings but anything at this distance looks like a painting. I wouldn't go next time unless I was near the front. 

Lifeguarding by Boswell

A month after DJ took a YMCA lifeguard class and was certified in lifeguarding, First Aid and CPR, he was hired by a family in Villa Park to watch their pool during a fancy party. If you're curious what his ad looks like, search Craigslist in Orange County for lifeguard. I think you'll know it's his ad.

Cafe M.Cutie

DJ, Huong, Uncle Paul and I needed place to watch the 3rd Place Match of the FIFA World Cup. In my quest to win Dad of the Year, I suggested we go to a bikini coffee place. If you have never been, Little Saigon has about 40 lounges that don't serve alcohol or food but they do serve iced coffee, smoothies and free iced tea. They have lots of televisions and the servers walk around in bikinis and negligees refilling iced teas. It was the perfect place to bring my minor son, my Christian ex brother in law and my girlfriend. The crowd was awesome and so were the coconut smoothies. #BecauseFutbol

Summer Begins

Summer is great; especially June. Not too hot to be outside and not too cold for shorts. Holden is in the pool the most of the day.

Holden Lipsyncs Grenade by Bruno Mars

Riley Makes Straight As

The kids get financial incentives to do well in school. At Riley's level, she gets $25 for each A in a non-PE class.  She gets nothing for anything less. Sure enough,  Riley managed to get all As to earn $125 to use as she wishes. And my birthday is coming up! Good job Riley!

My Fathers Day Present From Riley

This was a nice surprise!

Video of the Last Days of Ed Havins

Ed Havins was my mom's husband for most of my life. That seems weird to me since they married after I was an adult, but it's true. So he was a fixture in my life and helped me in many ways. He was also a great grandpa although he preferred to experience grandkids one at a time... Luckily he was married to my mom and she enjoyed grandkids alone or in groups and Ed usually went along.

A few months after my mom died, Ed met Susan, a retired flight attendant. She was a perfect companion for him and made him happy. After he died, Susan compiled these pictures into a video that highlights the last few months of his life right up until the party in Mexico that Susan and Ed held to honor my mom. The night of the party, Ed died in his sleep of a heart attack. Some say he died of a broken heart, but he was as happy as I've ever seen him at that party and I think he just wanted to go out at the top of his game.

Two New Pictures of Holden

Holden Borklund is in the 4th grade and is 10 years old. He plays second base in Little League for the Tigers. He's pretty good at Backgammon and is getting excellent grades. Of the three kids, Holden enjoys healthy food the most but only if it tastes good. His best friend is Brock Labelle and his favorite subject is math.

Venice Street Performance

I wasn't there but Riley and Holden went with the Labelles to Venice for a day. Apparently there were some street performers who were taking volunteers and Brock and Holden volunteered. They each received $20 after this performance! I think the street performers are Economics majors and figured out that if they give away some money to kids, their donations go up much more than that.

Cougar Buttes Mini Trip

We got to take a short camping trip less than two hours away to an area behind Apple Valley. Riley was away on her trip so it was just Huong, DJ, Holden and me in the Navion and Brian and Brock Labelle in their trailer. Brian brought dirt bikes and quads (thanks Brian!) and fireworks for night time. He is so well prepared on these trips it seems like he camps professionally.

I took Brian's dirt bike out once and it was only 20 minutes before I hit some sand and fell off injuring my leg and hip. Huong tried the quad for about 30 seconds. DJ and Holden tried various bikes and quads and did fine. Brian and Brock are excellent dirt bike riders and went on long rides by themselves.

DJ got to shoot while we were there. Holden got to climb rocks. Actually, we all climbed rocks as the smooth rock piles are irresistible.

At night time we did what boys will do and played with fire and fireworks. All, ahem, very safe and all that.

DJ's First Comedy Show

DJ got to see his first comedy show at the Brea Improv. 

Cal State Fullerton Baseball

To give Holden a feel for real baseball, the boys and I attended a Cal State Fullerton baseball game against the Cal State Long Beach Dirtbags. Yeah, that's really their name. The CSUF baseball seats are great, as you can see, and the price is reasonable.

Tessa Got an Earthquake for her Birthday

Riley got to ride in a limousine for her friend Tessa's (pictured) 13th birthday party. It will be unforgettable for all the girls, not only because of the limo ride, but because they were all at Tessa's house when the earthquake hit. A gaggle of 13 year old girls screaming about an earthquake. I can only imagine!

Balls In! Coming Down!

"Balls In! Coming Down!" can only mean Little League is underway. It's the call the catcher makes to his defensive team after his pitcher is warmed up. It tells the outfield to throw their practice balls into the dugout and tells the infield to get ready for a practice throw from the catcher to second base.

Holden is #5 for the Detroit Tigers. He plays Right Field, Left Field, and Second Base. He is hitting .500 but not if you don't count at bats due to opponents' defensive errors. The coach likes that he isn't afraid of the ball and he throws straight and true. Holden wants to try pitching but he will really have to put in hours of practice per week, so we'll see. I hope he does it!

Little League is different now than it was when I played. Kids have their own bats and batting helmets. There are two umpires officiating the game. The field is really nice with an electronic scoreboard and a separate scorekeeper who tracks every pitch. There is no defensive chatter any more. The rules are very much like real baseball except you can't lead off.

Earthquake!

The 5.1 earthquake underneath Brea was strong but didn't last long. It was also the shaking type and not the rolling type that makes you feel like the floor dropped beneath you. We lost a couple picture frames and two glass candlesticks but that's about it. Some neighbors up the hill had cracked walls and ceiling damage. This wasn't The Big One, I guess.

Riley B. Talented and Logical

Riley just had her Winter concert for Brea Junior High Band. She played trombone so that makes two instruments she can play in band. The other is the clarinet. I was surprised how good they sound. Even though she is in the seventh grade she is in the Intermediate band. Next year she will likely be in the smaller, better Concert band, -- hopefully with her clarinetist friend, Karen.

Besides playing instruments Riley is also presently addicted to logic puzzles. These are like lumosity.com pre-Internet.

DJ's Been Working Out

This is his pose of the main character of Taxi Driver which is this month's famous movie that DJ is a living parody of. Previous movies were Drive, Apocolypse Now, Schindler's List, and Raging Bull. Next, I predict DJ is going to cut weight to look like Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club. Well, it's better than looking like Jared Leto. DJ has been eating a certain way and working out daily for a few months now. These are the results. Keep it up DJ!