It's been some time

I have had so much going on in my life that I've not had much time to devote to this project at all.

I look at the things that I have on the to do list for this and I look at my to do list for work, a business I am trying to start up, and the requirements for the community that I live in now that I'm on the Board of Directors and it leaves me so little time.

Now that work is slowing down, or at least I get summer Fridays which means I alternate Fridays off, I will be able to devote more time into this project.

Portrait of Don Alejandro Roces, Sr.

Portrait of Don Alejandro Roces, Sr. (by Fernando Amorsolo)

My apologies for not updating so regularly lately. I've been away from computers on sabbatical and haven't had regular access to computers.

I received an email the other day and was given some pictures to post. This is the first of the four I received.

A new addition to the Roces family tree

From an email I just got to read:

In case you don't know yet, my nephew Christian phoned to tell me of the birth of his and Valentina's first child, Sebastian Alexander on Thurs. 9 Feb. (instead of 16 Feb. as expected). His maternal grandparents, Habib and Sonia, arrived the day before from Beirut, and his paternal parents, Joe and Marie from Albuquerque, NM via Wash.DC , haven't arrived yet due to a big snow storm on the East Coast. On his father's side he is Powers-Roces-Tatton and his mother's side he is Bardawil.

More details and hopefully photos as they arrive.

Getting things started

I've not had much time to spend here these past 2 weeks. So much so that I have forgotten what I learned about the new system that I was preparing to implement here to help rotate content.

On personal fronts, two weeks ago my wife's cat who is 18+ years passed away. My wife and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary the other day. We're also gearing up to start a food business and want to do another run before the end of the month. I recently got elected to our board of directors at the Coop we live in so that is also taking up a good amount of my time.

We're also in talks to start a non profit organization to help get books to impoverished kids in the Philippines. We've been able to get a publisher on board to purchase the books at cost and get the publisher to do the distribution as part of their book fair program. We just need to focus on getting sponsors and monies for each school so that each child can get a book. If you'd like to assist in this project now or in the future please feel free to contact me about the One Book Project.

Francisco Roces Felgueroso

I just recieved this in the mail a moment ago...

Ha muerto Francisco Roces Felgueroso, en la tarde del Martes.
El funeral por su eterno descanso se celebrará en la mañana del
JUEVES, DÍA 26, en la iglesia parroquial de Castiello de Bernueces.

Doce años de lucha contra el cáncer, con batallas ganadas al mal, paro con una muerte que se veía venir durante los últimos días, que pasó en el Hospital General acompañado por sus
familiares más cercanos.

Francisco Roces vivió dedicado a su familia y a la Parroquia de Castiello. El pasado mes de Octubre la Asociación de Vecinos le rindió un homenaje multitudinario, como agradecimiento a su
continua dedicación a resolver los problemas de la zona, siempre en colaboración con su esposa. Pili.

Miembro de una familia muy numerosa, deja viuda, dos hijos: Pilar María y Francisco y cuatro nietos.

Hombre de vida cristiana, era bien conocido por todos por su asistencia a los actos religiosos de la parroquia. Ahora que ya no estará presente, quedará su recuerdo en todos los muchos que le apreciaban, que se unirán a rezar por la salvación de
su alma.

Que Dios premie sus desvelos para llevar adelante a su familia y que su ejemplo sirva para que la sociedad en que vivimos sea algo mejor.

From the Land Down Under

Alfredo "Ding" Roces and Baby Roces and the rest of his clan. Can you name the rest of them?

Moving forward

It's the first real post of the 2006 and it is going to be a simple request.

Those of you who are related to the Roces Family, I need some information. Since I started this I have been filling in the family tree as best as I can. When I meet up with someone I request information about their parents and siblings and any children they may have.

I need to continue to fill it in. So if you are the head of a household, please contact me before you send anything. I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable like they are sending personal information to someone that they do not know. If we've been in contact before please send me the most information you can which means please include birthdates and significant dates like marriages, divorces and the like. If you'd like to include a family portrait, please do so and list all the family members on the photo. Pets are also welcome as well.

Even if you think that I have your information, please contact me so that I can verify the information that I have.

The detailed information will only be shared with known family members, what does that mean? Well I won't give it to someone that isn't sponsored or vouched for by another person who has been verified either live in person or via another family member who has done or claims the same. The family tree will be public, but the details will not.

To help me with this I have been working on a new program that will allow me to filter out family members from the general public. I hope to complete the work on it and implement it by March.

Please email me your information at rocesfamily@gmail.com

Happy New Year

Wishing all the family members a Happy New Year!!!