I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis.
I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God.
I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree.
Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons.
I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA.
While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon..
In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God.
We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987).
From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting.
Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982.
I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects.
In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston.
In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018.
Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia.
In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey.
As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova.
Love and God Bless,
Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi
Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for today’s games, while catching you up on fun and interesting stories you might have missed. Today’s edition is brought to you by David Adler.
Daniil Medvedev has thrown us all for a loop with his love of — and, apparently, his encyclopedic knowledge about — the Reds, of all teams.
Medvedev, who’s currently ranked the No. 7 men’s tennis player in the world, attended his first-ever baseball game last year at Great American Ball Park, after an early-round exit from the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament.
He’s been a Reds fan ever since.
“I was like, ‘Why haven’t I gone before?'” Medvedev told the Cincinnati Enquirer last week. “I started watching baseball more than any other sport, except tennis. Since they were the first team I saw live, why not be a Cincinnati Reds fan?”
Since Medvedev is back in town to play the 2026 Cincinnati Open this week, the Reds brought him out to the ballgame yesterday to throw out the first pitch. He threw a perfect strike, naturally.
And don’t you dare question Medvedev’s ball knowledge. This guy brings receipts.
Medvedev got a series of trivia questions on 2026 Reds stats, and he nailed every single one. Team record? Check. Home run leader? No problem, Sal Stewart. Batting average? That’d be Elly De La Cruz. Wins? “Chase Burns, it’s too easy.”
Not only did Medvedev know the answer to every question, he knew Stewart’s home run total and Burns’ record exactly, plus De La Cruz’s batting average and Burns’ ERA to within a few points.
“I know pretty much every player and every stat,” Medvedev told the Enquirer. “When I’m a fan of something, I like to really be into it. That’s my team.”
Next he’ll be telling us he eats Skyline Chili between sets.
Carlos Rodón returns for tonight’s series opener against the Yankees’ AL East rivals after missing about a month and a half with left elbow inflammation. His return comes at an opportune time for the Yankees, who just had to put Max Fried back on the injured listwith a bone bruise in his pitching elbow. Rodón has a 3.30 ERA in nine starts this season, with 52 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings.
The Brewers just showed the Dodgers who’s boss, taking three of four games from the reigning champs to clinch the season series against L.A. Milwaukee has a series against the other top dog in the National League, the Braves, coming up later this week, but the Brew Crew can’t look past a Mariners team hoping to get back into the playoff race after taking two of three from the Astros.
That’s because of the mustard Benge put on those throws. The first one was 99.9 mph. The second one? 103.9 mph.
Heck, with throws like that, we think Benge just might have the best arm in the whole league. But let’s see what the numbers say …
By average arm strength, he’s “only” fourth
Benge’s average arm strength on max-effort throws this season is 96 mph on the dot, which ranks behind only Jac Caglianone (98.5 mph), Oneil Cruz (97.8 mph) and fellow rookie Cole Carrigg (96.8 mph) among players with at least 100 throws this season.
But by MAX arm strength, he’s No. 1
That 103.9 mph assist from last night, though? That was the hardest throw by any fielder this season. Even Caglianone hasn’t broken the 103 mph mark. Benge’s high-end arm strength is second to none.
Plus, we haven’t seen an assist like that one in a while
Benge’s 103.9 mph throw home was the third-fastest tracked outfield assist in the entire Statcast era, which goes back to 2015. And it’s the fastest one in nearly a decade.
Benge is the only player with multiple 100-plus mph outfield assists this season — since he also had one at exactly 100 on July 24.
Let alone two in the same inning
Benge is also the first player with two 99-plus mph outfield assists in a single inning since Statcast started tracking, and only the second to do so in a single game (Bradley Zimmer did it in 2017).
If there was an arm strength contest between all the best outfielders in the Majors, we definitely like Benge’s chances.
What do we mean by that? Well, here are a few of the entries.
No rest? No problem for Yamamoto
We’ll start with a recent one: Yoshinobu Yamamoto coming out of the bullpen on zero days’ rest to win Game 7 of last year’s World Series for the Dodgers.
CC carries the Brew Crew to October
CC Sabathia was a beast for the Brewers after they traded for him at the 2008 Deadline — including a complete game to beat the Cubsin the regular-season finale and clinch Milwaukee’s first postseason appearance since 1982.
A back-and-forth White Sox-Cubs opener ended as it began: with a HR from Pete Crow-Armstrong, whose 2 blasts and SB gave him back-to-back 30-30 seasons in a riveting matchup both teams hope is a prelude to something bigger.
Now that MLB Pipeline has refreshed its prospect lists, it’s time to see who is tops at every spot on the field — and with five graduations, there’s been plenty of change since the season started.
Winning Player of the Week honors is a big deal for all big leaguers, but it’s quickly becoming old hat for this week’s winners — Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso and D-backs right fielder Corbin Carroll.
A decade before he reached The Show with the Mariners, Brock Rodden made the most of his quick wit and athleticism to save his grandfather from severe injury, distracting and subduing an angry bull on an Oklahoma farm.
Ernie Clement and the red-hot Blue Jays travel to St. Petersburg to battle Junior Caminero and the AL East-leading Rays at 6:30 p.m. ET (or Cardinals vs. Reds).
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Please Note: Starting August 20th, we’re excited to show you a brand new look for Night Prayer. All your content will still be here, and we think you’ll love the enhancements!Learn More About Sea of Galilee
Jesus Christ, my God, I adore You and thank You for all the graces You have given me this day. I offer You my sleep and all the moments of this night. I place myself and all my loved ones, wherever they may be, in Your sacred side and under the mantle of Our Blessed Mother. Let Your holy angels stand watch and keep us in peace. Amen.
Quote of the Day
“A son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a man who is consumed with love and who sets on fire everything in his path.”
— St. Anthony Mary Claret
Today’s Meditation
“Our aim should be to guard against the danger of worldliness by acting always with a pure intention, so that our whole life may be offered up to God.” —Raoul Plus, pg. 23An excerpt from How to Pray Always
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The daily examination of conscience is an ancient Catholic practice. It’s very simple, and it’s designed to help us identify our sins and weaknesses so that we can improve and grow stronger in the spiritual life, while providing an excellent ongoing preparation for regular Confession. It consists of taking a few minutes at the end of the day to prayerfully review our actions in the light of God’s commandments, followed by the Act of Contrition.1. Reflect on the victories and losses
Actively reflecting on the high and low points of the day can help you live more intentionally and bring a renewed sense of resolve into the following day.
Review your actions, words, and thoughts today. Did you actively guard yourself against temptation? Where did sin creep in?
In what moments did you practice virtue and moral courage?
Were you attuned to the Holy Spirit’s promptings today? Where did you feel His inspiration?
Ask Him for the graces necessary to follow His Will more purposefully tomorrow.
2. Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.3. Practice gratitude
It is God’s love that has brought you into existence and to this exact moment. Practice looking for His hand in your day.
Where did you feel His loving gaze upon you today?
What people or moments helped you see God in your life?
Thank God for all these moments!
Ask Him to help you recognize His blessings and providence tomorrow.
4. Renew your commitment to Christ
Remember: our Faith is founded upon a Person—Christ! Renew your personal love and devotion to Him.
Thank God for the gift of His Son Jesus and our call to be His disciples.
Tell the Lord of your desire to know Christ more personally.
If possible, set an intention for your day tomorrow. Ask Our Lord to guide you in this act.
Pray a Hail Mary, Our Father, or another beloved prayer.
Rest with God
Praise Him, sun and moon, praise Him, all you shining stars!— Psalm 148:3Compline (Night Prayer)Want to help your organization reach thousands of Catholics? Click here to consider sponsoring future Night Prayers.
We love praying with you each night, and hope that you’ve found your relationship with Our Lord growing the more you spend time with Him.
A key component of building relationship is learning more about the other person (or Person). And we want to help you learn more about Him and about our Faith.
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In Mark 13:37, Jesus Christ commands us to watch: “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” The Greek word here, gregoreuo, translated as “watch,” is in the imperative mood, expressing a command by the order and authority of the one commanding. Thus, it is an unequivocal command to all by the order of our authority, Jesus Christ, that therefore requires strict attention and obedience by us all.
Are we obeying His command to watch? Do we know what Christ is commanding us to do? Many do not. Because this is a direct and emphatic command by our Savior, it is vital that we know.
Christ uses this Greek word for “watch” fourteen times in the Gospels. To get a clear picture of what He means by it, notice the context each time that He commands us to watch (gregoreuo is in bold in the verses that follow):
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:42-44)
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Matthew 25:13)
It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watchtherefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:34-37)
Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Luke 12:37-40)
Two clear thoughts run through all these examples where Christ uses “watch.” First, we do not know when He will return. Second, we should be watching so that we are ready no matter when that happens.
Watching is serious business and is necessary to our being ready for His immediate return in our lives. While in these verses He commands us to watch as the way we prepare for His return, He does not tell us what that means.
Thankfully, Christ practices what He preaches. By His example, He shows us what He means by watching, and we are to follow that example (I Peter 2:21). Notice the remainder of the fourteen uses of “watch” by Jesus in the Gospels (again, gregoreuo is in bold in the verses that follow):
Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watchand pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. (Matthew 26:38-44; an additional three usages appear in Mark 14:34-39)
Here, we see that Jesus is watching and asking the disciples to watch along with Him. Just as He commands us to watch to be prepared for the biggest event in our lives, He watched to be prepared for the biggest event in His human life.
Conversely, His disciples did not watch but instead slept! Learn the lesson. They did not watch. They did not prepare. As a consequence, they failed miserably (Matthew 26:56, 69-75; Mark 14:50-52).
What did Jesus do while watching that His disciples did not do? How did He watch? We see here that watching is about spiritual preparation that, in this case, consists of intense prayer. On a broader scale, He spent a lifetime watching His human nature so closely that He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). In these last hours, He intensified His watching in the extreme, as recorded in Luke 22:41-44:
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
By His example, Jesus shows us that watching is about spiritual preparation. He also stresses that same point the last time in the Bible He uses the word “watch,” gregoreuo:“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” (Revelation 16:15).
Just as He does in the many verses we saw above, He warns us that He comes as a thief, in a day and hour we know not. Here, He emphasizes what we are to watch—our garments, our character. We are to be removing every spot and wrinkle from them (Ephesians 5:27; II Peter 3:14). We want to be sure there are no holes in our character (James 5:2) when He returns.
Therefore, here in Revelation 16:15 and by His example, we see that watching is all about spiritual preparation. He consistently links watching with His return. There is no hint of anything else in Jesus’ use of the word “watch” (see also Revelation 3:3, where He underscores watching as required spiritual preparation for His sudden return). Thus, we see that when Christ says “watch,” He is commanding us to be spiritually prepared for His return no matter how sudden and unexpected it may be in our lives.
RJ Hamster 