While I’m disappointed that my main NBA🏀 team, the Dallas Mavericks, aren’t advancing to Round 2 of the Playoffs, I must point out a few fun facts about the other Texas🏇 team who eliminated them…
The Houston 🚀Rockets’ D-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley 🐍Vipers, won the 2010 NBA-DL championship🏆 under my watch!
The Vipers head coach📢 back then, Chris Finch, now is assistant coach of the Rockets!
I was a faithful ☝️fan, as you can see on the bench, backing los Vipers (check out my close-up in my black Vipers tee behind the team in ⏰seconds :32-37)!
♪Is your game MVP like Steve Nash?♫ ~ Nelly Furtado
My fave *MAV* duo: Dirk Nowitzki (#41) & Steve Nash (#13) ~ Bobble Heads & Nesters of my exclusive sports memorabilia collection
A whole decade ago, my ♥former fave Mav♥ was named NBA‘s Most Valuable Player with ☼Los Suns☼ the same season he was traded there from Dallas. Now he’s retiring as a LAker…
Steve Nash: an accomplished athlete
My ♣lucky No. 13♣ has been †blessed† with his mad skills as
As an Asian Gen-Y, I absolutely agree with the points addressed by the main character of this season’s new ABC sitcom, Fresh Off the Boat! I can totally relate to Eddie for the following reasons:
We both sport T-shirts with black heroes ~ to celebrate Black History Month, here are my share
Ray Lewis: Super Bowl XLVII Champ of the Baltimore Ravens
Mani Monday: Blue * Silver * Gold for team spirit ~ specifically for the Duke Blue Devils + my Dallas Mavericks & Cowboys + my Our Lady of the Lake Saints!
Merry One Week Until CHRISTmas, Everybody! May GOD Bless Us Everyone!
In the spirit of this ADVENT Season, when we prepare for the birth of JESUS, who gave EVERYTHING, including His own life, let us remember the Reason for the Season. Let us spread HOLYday cheer by giving.
One way we can give is through generosity to strangers, our neighbors, our fellow man. To honor my sister — who I’m proud to share has graduated with her Master of Science degree in Nursing and now works as a Nurse Practitioner for Psychiatry/Mental Health — on her birthday and my parents on their anniversary, I donated to the Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan relief through the American Red Cross.
As we celebrate this Season of Giving, I try not to surrender to the commercialization of CHRISTmas. Since my family and I are grateful for what we already have and won’t exchange gifts this year, I shall share with those who are in need. I started with my Angel Tree child who I chose from church and will continue with my Christian Foundation for Children and Aging sponsored child.
Some of the things that I thank GOD for are His will, grace and guidance, His people ~ including my dear friend and spiritual mentor Bishop Mike who soon will retire, my family whose blood is thicker than water, my bestie Melody who has been with me through thick and thin, my Team Dr. D for my Ph.D. ~ His creatures who are my loves ~ especially my Double A-Team ~ and great opportunities, such as hearing His calling for me to proclaim His word at Mass. For my sis and her hubby, both Mr. & Mrs. Cooley graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington this past weekend, and I could not have been prouder of Joanne’s MSN (UTA’s College of Nursing had the most thorough Graduation Commencement that I’ve ever attended — I was extremely impressed that each of the graduates’ dissertation, thesis or honors research titles and/or jobs were called out, along with their names, as they walked across the stage) and her husband/my “bro” Ryan’s Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science/Kinesiology, Summa Cum Laude (“with highest honors”).
As we wrap up 2013 ~ which I did deem as the Year to Follow Our Dreams ~ I pursue 2014 ~ which I call the Year of Courting ~ as the time to come closer to completing my doctoral degree at Our Lady of the Lake University. During my prayers about progressing through my dissertation, I listened to GOD’s message to me about making a difference in my research. Bearing in mind that my study is about coaching, I indeed hope that I somehow can change how coaches influence their players: not necessarily to just seek winning in their sports, but being champions as people.
The CHRISTmas Countdown is here, as the New Year draws near, so it’s time to CHEER!
I’m delighted to report that my dissertation committee blessed my Concept Proposal! We had our first conference call altogether yesterday for this information session about my study. Now all I can do from here is move forward, and as graduates of my program have said: ONWARD…
My research is about the influence of college coaches‘ leadership on their student-athletes’ satisfaction, athletic and academic performance. Some of my inspirations include winning basketball coaches Coach K, Pat Summitt, and Phil Jackson. Here’s to Team: Dr. D in Mission: Ph.D.
As we prepare for JESUS‘ birth, I reflect on THANKSgiving and all of the blessings for which I’m grateful.
One week ago today, many of us around the world celebrated Turkey Day in the spirit of The Best Man Holiday movie theme: GOD, Family and Football.
GOD: First thing that morning, I went to the Adoration Chapel at church because I have my Adoration Hour commitment every Thursday, and I spent extra time there while fellow adorers were out of town for the holyday. Family: When I got home, I took my CHRISTmas card photos with my Double A-Team and made my festive dessert: Cranberry Walnut Cream Cheese Pie. My best friend, Melody ~ who is like a sister to me ~ and I spent this Day of Thanks with both sides of our families: I went to her parents’ for lunch, and she, her hubby and their children joined my family and me at my parents’ house. Football: A Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Dallas Cowboys game, so we most definitely were THANKful for their victory over the Oakland Raiders!
Here are more of my cheers and toasts of gratitude:
Day 27: I’m THANKful for the #gift of #sight! We who can see, or @ least need corrective #lenses, cannot take this for granted… Although I don’t like to get pics taken w/my #glasses👓 all the time (blame it on the vanity – say it a’int so), I absolutely need them to get around (case in point: last night @ my BFF’s parents’ when I lost track of them while posing for photos). Some of y’all know what I’m talking about that they’re a necessity, an essential, right Tita Tina Gunn? Plus, since I like specific brands, I usually find designer frames for my #specs😎
I’m also THANKful for my good friend & #spiritual#mentor, Bishop Mike, who officiated my #Catholic#Sacraments of First #Communion & #Confirmation + who writes📜 (I’m talking snail mail📬 – not just email📥) me on a regular basis as my main pen✒️ pal!
I’m THANKful my BFF Sgt. Melody Givan who’s been there for yours truly through the#ThickAndThin + who I’ve been fortunate to celebrate THANKsgiving w/ when we grew up & when I visited her in Georgia! She’s the culinary arts mastermind, & while I didn’t know my way around the kitchen before, she sent me my Crock Pot for#CHRISTmas!
*Bearing this in mind, here are the pics of Melody and yours truly from THANKSgiving ’09 (above) and THANKSgiving ’13 (below)* Girl time was definitely what I needed last week because most of my friends are guys, so I was glad to spend yet another Thanksgiving with Melo until she and her fam drove their beautiful Beamer back to Georgia…
Meanwhile, more blessings for which I’m grateful include my dissertation progress and my career opportunities! Yesterday, I had a conference call with my dissertation chair, who arranged for me to present the concept proposal of my study to my dissertation committee next week! Also, through Rant Sports and Pretty Fit, I like reaching out to fellow sports fans and health buffs!
While I write this, we have another snow storm in the forecast. In the holyday spirit, I’m playing Elf (my favorite Christmas movie of all time) and printing my season’s greetings!
Let me wrap up this positive post with more bright notes:
GOD Bless Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy †
♥ Love Always, Jun Bandonill Dispo (Batch 1970) and Family
Jun Dispo, Retired United States Air Force * Estrella Dispo, Retired Registered Nurse * Elaine Dispo, Ph.D. Candidate * Joanne Dispo, Nurse Practitioner * Ryan Cooley, United States Marine Corps Veteran
From left to right: Jacinto Dispo, Lolita Tan Dispo, Joseph del Rosario, Carmelita Dispo del Rosario, Elaine Joyce Dispo, Estrella Reyes Dispo, Christian Joseph del Rosario, Joanne Dispo Cooley, David Ryan Cooley, Jun Bandonill Dispo, Lyndah Baterina Dispo, Manuel Dispo, Madalyn Dispo-Junio, Crystal Gail Dispo
Looking @ my parents’ #wedding album, I admire how they went all out & appreciate the value of their #Catholic#sacrament!
Yet aside from their amazing wedding, they’ve invested #energy & #sacrifice into their decades of #marriage, which is what matters most in the #LongHaul!
& now they have their Golden Years to enjoy w/each other, so may they stay#blessed with many more to come!
[from L-R: my Aunties Alice Dispo* (my great-aunt/Uncle Bal’s wife) & Dr. Fe Reyes-Dollete** (my aunt/mom’s sister), Mama Eufemia Dispo*** (my paternal grandmother/dad’s mom), Mr. & Mrs. Jun B. Dispo (my parents as #newlyweds), Papa Pedro Dispo*** (my paternal grandfather)]
*Dr. & Mrs. Baltazar Dispo (Uncle Bal is Papa Ped’s baby brother) ~ another excellent example of #commitment in marriage & to the Catholic #faith ~ were my parents’ Principal Sponsors/GODparents/Ninong & Ninang/Padrino y Madrina️
**Drs. Rodolfo & Fe Dollete also are #RoleModels as a #married#couple because they keep the spice alive by ballroom dancing & traveling + enjoy #working together
***Both sets of my grandparents lived long enough to celebrate their#GoldenAnniversary & beyond: my maternal Lolo Tico & Lola Rosa were married for 56 years, + my paternal Papa Ped & Mama Eufemia were married for almost 61 years
Guess which decade my parents tied the knot ~ the #bridesmaid‘s #bonnet may be an indicator…
With THANKSgiving just a couple of days away, I’ll share with you my latest posts (please remember that views and clicks on my Rant Sports articles determine my pay), as well as my days of giving thanks! THANK y’all for checking out my material/Maraming Salamat/¡Muchas Gracias! Wish you all a Happy Turkey Day and HOLYdays if you celebrate!
Day 23: I’m THANKful for my ☀️Sunshine, who’s been taking me from Point A to Point B➡️ for exactly 41 months today! As Toby Keith sings in “I Love This Bar”: “I Like My Truck,” I actually LOVE my truck, as GOD✌️ has always blessed us on our merry way!
Day 24: I’m THANKful for my sister, Joanne Dispo, MSN, PMHNP, whose birthday is today! She’s one of the most generous & thoughtful people who I know, so may GOD bless her always ♥ Lola Rosa used to tell me: “You’re only 2,” meaning she’s the only blood sister who I have & to make the most of my time w/her…
I’m also THANKful for my fellow #USAF#MilitaryBrats Birthday Boys Davon Curry &Victor Rodriguez, who both have special places in my heart ♥ DBo & I used to write ol’ school letters when he was stationed out-of-state back in h.s. before social media was around + still inspires me to go #BeastMode to this very day! Vic was stationed in Germany where I was born, was kind to escort me to Winter Formal once, attended our Cooper High 10-yr reunion although he graduated elsewhere & hit a couple of #DallasMavericks games w/me!
Day 26: I’m THANKful for being caught up with work for the month, so now I can spend the rest of THANKSgiving week working on my doctoral dissertation + visiting w/my family & friends! #LifeIsGood
Today, I wear black to honor the Typhoon Haiyan/Typhoon Yolanda victims. My shirt is actually a black Hard Rock Cafe Saigon tee from Vietnam, where the storm approached after it hit my native country, the Philippines.
Today also is my Papa Ped‘s 5th Death Anniversary. Even to this day, I miss my hardworking paternal grandfather, Pedro T. Dispo, Sr. (June 27, 1927-November 18, 2008) very much and will always remember him fondly.
Today, I also had my latest conference call with my dissertation chair. As long as I keep making progress and stay on track, I may be able to move forward in the upcoming year: proposal, methods, results, defense left… To become Dr. D.
My Latest Days of THANKS
Day 14: I’m THANKful for the Typhoon Haiyan / Typhoon Yolanda survivors and relief efforts
Day 15: I’m THANKful for my Lil’ Orphan ANNIE on our 4th Annie-versary
Lil’ Orphan ANNIE’s 1st Snow on CHRISTmas
Day 16: I’m THANKful for my Rant Sports team, whose Facebook pages, including mine, I encourage you to “like” for updates
Day 17: I’m THANKful for my first day “off” this month, in which I took off from writing for work to attend Sunday mass, then had brunch with Ate and watched The Best Man Holiday, plus hit the track (my only form of “work” was to “workout”) with Ate, Jade and Dax!
Dax’s & my scenic route w/sunshine view
Day 18: I’m THANKful for my Papa Ped on his 5th Anniversary and my good friend/fellow USAF military brat, Nora, on her Birthday
Papa Ped, Mama Eufemia, Papa Jun, Joanne & me
On lighter notes, I watched and thoroughly enjoyed The Best Man Holiday this past weekend, and here are my latest Pretty Fit and Rant Sports posts:
Welcome/Mabuhay/¡Biénvenidos! I am a USAF brat who was born in Germany and grew up State-side while celebrating my Catholic and Filipino heritage. ☼Sunny☼ DISPOsition Elaine’s Eye Candy/DISPhotos ~ I love GOD & His creations, so I take photos @ any given opportunity. Elaine DISPOrts ~ I am passionate about sports, which is my research focus on my ... Continue reading →
Girl time was definitely what I needed last week because most of my friends are guys, so I was glad to spend yet another Thanksgiving with Melo until she and her fam drove their beautiful Beamer back to Georgia…
The Elaine Dispo Journal 