elainedispo

Posts Tagged ‘chill’

Working Woman’s Wednesday: Doc Decompression

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Health, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 12/30/2015 at 12:25

Leave it to my Bestie Evie to always know what’s best for me!

Snow Day

#ImDreamingOfAWhiteCHRISTmas #LetItSnowLetItSnowLetItSnow #BabyItsColdOutside #iLoveTheWinterWeather #IveGotMyLoveToKeepMeWarm #WhenAllYouCatsAreSleepinWarmAsToast #WhiteCHRISTmas #LetItSnow #WinterWeather #CoolYule #CatsAreSleepinWarmAsToast #DoubleATeam #PURRfectMoment2PAWS #CATchOfTheDay #SnowDay #SnowAngels #WokeUpToThis #MerryTexasCHRISTmasYouAll #MerryTexasCHRISTmasYall #MerryTEXmas #WestTexas #WTX #winter #blizzard #BlanketOfWhite #snow #comfy #cozy #CuddleBuddies #SnuggleBunnies ❄️☃⛄️🎅🏽🎄🎁💝😍😻🏡

When they mentioned my need for “me” time at my graduation luncheon, I doubted that I could pull it off. However, I indeed observed how refreshed some of my fellow doc candidates-turned graduates seemed following their dissertation defenses ~ a break to decompress helped them relieve stress!

#DrDISPObustAFlow

To the tune of the wayback/throwback two-decade-old track by Montell Jordan:

♪This Is How I Did It♫

  • 3½ ☼days☼ last week between Graduation and CHRISTmas
  • +3½ ☼days☼ this week between CHRISTmas and mid-week
  • = 7  ☼days☼ total (not consecutive ~ but I’ve made it count)

My favorite activities during this Dr. D time:

Sunday Fun Day: F These

In ♥ & Soul, Community, De-Stress Saturday, Feline Friday, Floral Friday, Foodie Friday, Foto Friday, Home Sweet Home, Public Interest, Relationships, Soul Saturday, Sports, Sports Sunday, Sunday Fun Day, Technology, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Yours Truly on 09/20/2015 at 03:30
Gringa

Close-up of mi Gringa: my white girl with green eyes

HBD, ♥Sweet Annie♥!

Stats Cat

Stats Cat is on the prowl with no growl…

Today is the Annie-versary  of my Stats Cat‘s birthdate!

Cat in the Box!

Cat in the Box! Cute things come in Target packages!

So, that’s F for Feline

Grad Cat

I can’t leave out Grad Cat! These Baby Blues are here to seduce! ♪I am Siamese, if you please♫

& F also is for:

Water Girl

Quick Cat Comedy / Feline Funnies: Since our bathroom has dual sinks, Big Asia likes to jump into the right one & “drink out of a fountain” ~ the other day, I turned on the left faucet & noticed her trying to sip from the right! {repping our *Dallas Cowboys* by sporting my TS dress from my fellow cat ♥lover’s collection + headband, earrings & paraband from my speech student‘s son + St. Benedict scapular jewelry from my blessed bestie}

* Food * Flowers (still in season) –> * Fall

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How sweet of Mami Aya to bring us Mocha Tres Leches for Annie‘s birthday!

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I never thought that 2 of my fave flaves could be combined … 1st: Choco-Flan. Now, Mocha Tres Leches! #SweetLife

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Annie leads the purrfect life because she’s easy to please …

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Content Angel Annie in her natural habitat: soaking in the ☼sunshine☼

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My tiny tea cup cat’s fave hot spots: the windows! Here she is at the window behind my piano peering out into our garden

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Part of our backyard view complete with lush green grass (most definitely the best-mani on the block, hands down)! We’re enjoying the summer ☼sun☼ while we can before autumn officially starts soon. After receiving more precipitation at the ½way point this year following our previous full year’s totals, I wonder how much we’ll get next season?

Yellow Hibiscus

Heavenly Hibiscus: My private elementary school student‘s science fair ~ that won honorable mention ~ flower that we started growing without ♪music♫ (his share with) last winter has blossomed during past ♣spring♣ showers & reached full bloom this ☼summer☼ at 1½’ tall by this fall!

+ F also is for: ☼ † ♥ ✌

* †Faith♥Family * Football

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Now that football season has kicked off, this sports spirituality book will do just the trick to keep my soul on a roll while I keep working on my own sports study (been investing 12-15h/day on it lately ~ ’til this weekend so I could focus on my Church readings)!

Cowboys Ann

#HBD ♪ #SweetAnnie ♫ #CATchOfTheDay #Birthday ♥ #GameDay #DallasCowboys #CowboysNation #DC4L #CowboysFan #CowboysFam #CowboysAnn #Birthday Grrrl #PURRfectMoment2PAWS#PURRfectMoment2PRAY#PURRfectMoment2PLAY #PurrfectSunday#PAWsitiveForeCAT #PAWsitiveCATitude #GameCountdown #Touchdown #BirthdayScore #BirthdayCat #JerseyCat #StatsCat #HolyCowcat #Catcow #Meow #CATholic #AnnieRosary#DISPObustAFlow

Go, *Dallas Cowboys* against your NFC East Rivals, those Philly Eagles today!

Catcow Meow

☼Sunday☼ Selfie: While my Holy Cowcat reps our *’BOYS* I rep the purrty Bday Grrrl with this Hello Kitty cupcake tee + cat earrings & cupcake helix (ear cartilage) ring in addition to this *Dallas Cowboys* headband

Beauty Tuesday: BTS Hacks

In ♥ & Soul, Beauty Tuesday, Community, Health, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 09/15/2015 at 09:30

‘Cause I have your back!

This Back-to-School season, check out my super saver tips for time, money and the Earth plus even your sanity …

Set out:

  • weekly wardrobe ~ clothes, jewelry, hair accessories, handbags, etc. (hang on a rolling rack or dedicated space to designate) #OOTDforDays
  • anything else that you need to get ready ~ especially your keys, in the same spot, and also specific hair tools & products, makeup, nail colors

Always check the weather forecast and have a back-up plan if an unexpected natural circumstance arises

Sleep in:

This has worked for me on a couple of different situations:

  1. when I had my fitness classes 1st thing in the AM in college
  2. when I worked at my hometown gym and exercised before work

Speaking of ♫working on my fitness, he’s my witness♪ {Fergie‘s Fergalicious}

Be Prepared  {Boy Scout motto}

  • stash sneakers in your vehicle ~ so you have no excuse for a fun run on-the-go
  • pack change clothes ~ from working out to reporting to work or vice versa

This has worked for me on a few different situations:

  1. when I hit the base gym before and after work after I graduated from college (YES, 2-a-days)
  2. when I hit the university gym during lunch with my boss during graduate school
  3. when I hit the college gym between classes that I taught
  4. when I had my photography gig at the hospitals (during which I’d sometimes fit in a work workout) before teaching at the College or ministering at Church

Bearing this in mind, make sure to pack

  • hygiene products (i.e., dry shampoo, deodorant) ~ do your best to fit in a quick shower if there’s a locker room
  • dental hygiene products (i.e., floss picks, gum, mints) ~ so your breath doesn’t kick

I actually store deodorant and mini perfume bottles plus packs of gum in most of my purses plus my compact bag that I transport when I switch handbags

DON’T forget to eat! ~ Mami Aya + many Pinay & caring moms everywhere

  • double-duty edibles ~ such as coconut oil to substitute fatty oils in recipes plus is my favorite hair conditioner and also moisturizes skin, as well as removes makeup (according to The Sweet Life)
  • handy healthy snacks (not fast food) ~ such as apples, grapes (I dig mine fresh or frozen), pears ~ the pear or apple crisp can trigger brain juice flow, don’t ya know #DISPObustAFlow
  • chill your coffee ~ since I don’t drink as much for heartburn prevention, I store the rest in the fridge until the next day
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Stylin’ Sippie Selfie: Reppin’ my *Dallas Cowboys* after last night‘s victory to kick off NFL season: Go, Big Blue … in Checkered & Houndstooth!

Transitioning between seasons from cold cups to hot tumblers …

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*Star* Quality: Starbucks Anniversary Collection Houndstooth Double-Wall Traveler Ceramic Mug was worth the investment for yours truly (as long as I don’t drop it ~ no jinx, please) because I ♥love♥ the look and can save a few cents every time I refill it … (I also adore the same-style Swarovski Crystal one from this season’s collection because I wear Swarovski from head to toe, but c’mon: I’m a doc candidate on a tight budget ~ so I’ll keep admiring from afar)

1-Stop Shop

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You too can check out these Target en Vogue** photos by scoring a copy and scanning with your Shazam app

☼Sunshine☼ Time

  • Get a daily dose of Vitamin D (as weather permits) ~ for health & happiness
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Taking a breezy breather from my dissertation in the backyard to thumb through Vogue** in ☼serenity☼

Just make YOU Time

Easy Reads

Perfect coffee table or night stand literature ~ when I need a break from my dissertation, these are my latest go-tos: the original Cupcakes and Cashmere (prequel to Cupcakes and Cashmere at Home that I have in eBook form) and this month’s 800+-page Vogue** (glossy inspirations of this season’s styles)

More than Scrub in the Tub

  • ♪sing♫ in the shower ~ so cliché, but as someone who needs a nice-sounding voice for teaching, defending my dissertation, and most of all: ministering (leading in readings, prayers and song) at Mass, I must warm up my ♫melody♪
  • stay fit as you suds up ~ stretch (with caution) as you reach for body parts to clean, and if you’re seated during a bath, I strongly suggest doing water pilates (think table top position with head and feet raised for resistance as you move)

†Pray† at Any Time of the Day

* Rewards = another way to $ave (discount$ & FREEbie$)

These guidelines will save you in the long one ~ not only for the aforementioned reasons, but also from embarrassment (i.e., killer breath, B.O.) if you run into someone later… We don’t want to be Finch from the American Pie movies who had to go home from school every time he had to release his macchiato! You’re welcome.  ✌

Happy ☼Birthday☼ to my ♥Tita Fe♥, a.k.a. Dr. Reyes-Dollete, & HBD to my BFF Bestie SSG Melody!

^– Let this **Vogue ♪jam♫ ♫pump you up♪ today!!! –^

As ♫Madonna♪ sings:

♪That’s why I feel so beautiful♫

Mixer Monday: Beach Brain Break

In ♥ & Soul, Community, De-Stress Saturday, Health, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Mixer Monday, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Study Saturday, Sunday Fun Day, Technology, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Yours Truly on 08/03/2015 at 08:45

Once I kicked👟 my dissertation📖 work into high gear transitioning from July into August, I’ve actually resisted turning away from my work💼 after several-hours⌚️ worth of “shifts” lately!

🎓Scholar Mode = In-the-Zone🌟

But to prevent myself from 🍳frying⚡️ my 💡brain💭 from dozens of hours⏰ in front of my 💻computer ~ executing💥 my challenges while exercising my 💪🏽strengths:

I had to ❤️break💔 away for a bit …

Especially since last night offered my 🌼summer🌻 📺shows!

Complete combo with this 🚢Captain’s⚓️ 🍹cocktail🍸

Wannabe Island Iced Tea

Beachy Scene: I call this bad boy my Myrtle Beach Iced Tea (as opposed to Long Island) that calls for Arnold Palmer (tea & lemonade named for the golfer) spiked w/your spirit(s) of choice ~ mine was Midori for melon flavor and green color ~ + a cherry on top … Or to sink this ship! 🌊🌴🍹🍋🍈🍒⚓️🚢

That can be served ❄️chilled🍧 and 🍉chunky🍌

Beachy Fruit Mix

Peachy Keen: Other fruit to add to the mix (sweet if they swim in the drink while you sip): peaches * pineapple * strawberries 🍑🍍🍓🍒🍹

🍺Cheers🍻 to this 😅chillaxation😜 session! Staycation –> 😲Vacay😵 😴Getaway💤

For those of you who have enough budgeted💸 ⌛️time⏳ and 💸💰money, try my Top 5 🌞Summer🌅 🌊Vacation🌴 ideas!