Pritong Isda

I fried fish with flour, salt, pepper, and corn meal; I used canola oil. I forgot what kind of fish it was. Had some Italian name. the fish lady sold it to me.

When I went into Mutual Fish today, it was totally filipino day. Everyone was speaking tagalog; the people who didn't speak tagalog were not speaking. I asked what was good; she pointed at this fish. It looked good. I asked her, how should I cook it, just prito it? She said yah! and then whispered to me in tagalog that it's better than bangus; no little bones.

Well, it's a kind of milk fish, like bangus, and it's fine. A little expensive for me, but good. Next time I will ask for a salt water fish. Hell, next time, I'll get shellfish.

Yesterday and today was our sophomore retreat, an urban plunge. We gathered, prayed, played some games, gave them a couple of training sessions, made hundreds of burritos, and then took them to agencies around the city. Then we brought them back, debriefed a little, had a mass, and then simulated a homeless shelter. They slept on the cafeteria floor.

We woke them up this morning, had a quick blessing, and then sent them off to different service agencies. Me and B spent most of the day driving around, taking pictures of students working. When we were finishing up at St. Francis House, we noticed an elderly filipina leaving with a wheeled shopping basket, stuffed to the top; a vacuum cleaner; a microwave. B asked, how are you taking all this home? She said, oh, I'm walking. With a microwave? Then I'll take the bus. With a microwave? Never mind, we'll take you.

She might have lived about 7 blocks away, up hill, but there was no way she was making it without us. I asked her in tagalog, where are you from? what is your name? but I think she was deaf in one ear, because she just went on amiably about how her house was coming up.

When we got to her house, she asked us to put the microwave and vacuum cleaner on the curb. No, Auntie, we'll take it up to your house! So she lead us to her house, a secret house behind the house we thought it was.

Later, I tried to remember the word for deaf. Telek? I called mama in Vegas; it's 'dingi.' What's telek, then? That's pangasinan! Oh.

Anyway, at the end of the day we gathered the kids again, had a quick debrief and sent them home. It wasn't bad.

Tomorrow I have a meeting from 3 to 6. We work hard.