Workout & Working Woman’s Wednesday: V is for …

* Veterans * Victory * Virtue

Please join yours truly as I salute and pay tribute to

• my hardworking heroic father from the *United States Air Force* while approaching the retirement of his post-military career in aviation
• my Great-Uncle Terry from the *U.S. Navy* before he reaches nine decades of life
• my *Airman* cousin Jeryl who’s safely and soundly back Stateside from his deployment
• my Bro Ryan from the *United States Marine Corps* who now is expecting my first niece/nephew with my sis and attending MBA school
• my *Airman* brother-in-law Eric in his second tour in the ROK
• my many friends who’ve served the great *US of A*

This also is a special Veterans’ Day as I passed my full faculty defense according to GOD’s perfect plan!

While our military heroes engage in rigorous physical training, with PT tests that time:

• 1½-mi. runs
• ### push-ups
• ### sit-ups

I did my share of high impact activity to prepare my energy for this AM’s event …

Just like I’ve connected almonds with energy for my full marathon as an analogy for my multiple regression statistical analyses, I’ve tied in what worked for me on the days I passed my previous rounds:

• I hit the track after my Holy Hour at our ♥Adoration♥ †Chapel† right before my committee conference call
• I’ve done more HIITs and toning up to ease my test anxiety up until today’s full faculty meeting

Here’s my training session from yesterday to work both the lower and upper bod:

2 for Tuesday: Double Whammy beyond the Moons on my Hammy

Simultaneous Moves for 20 reps/set with body weight or light resistance (ankle or wrist wraps, dumb bells or bands)

• Squats (legs) & Shoulder Raises (delts and traps)
• T-Bird Dead Lifts (booty) & Rows (back)
• Extensions 2 Ways ~ Standing (quads) & Overhead (tris)
• Curls 2 Ways ~ Standing (hams) & Upward (bis)
• Trunk Twist (core) Curtsy Lunges (legs)
• Ab-duction (inner thighs & waistline)

CHEERS to ALL of our service men and women in uniform who’ve

• fought for our freedom, both in the States and overseas
• bled for our country, earning themselves the Purple Heart
• died for those freedoms, earning themselves the Flag

 as well as ALL of our military families who experience the sacrifice.

Thank you, GOD, the Saints and the Angels for watching over us!!!

Sunday Fun Day: Grandparents Day

Happy National Grandparents Day!

I dedicate this video to my parents ~ who expect to become first-time grandparents this HOLYday season (I’ve always considered them as grandparents to my A&A and my sis‘ Coco, yet this time it’ll be for real) ~ as they’ve traveled around the world together while making many meaningful mini and milestone memories during their almost four decades of marriage.

During our ☼Sunday☼ brunch, we reminisced about my own grandparents, my parents’ parents, and since Papa Jun pointed out an article that he came across in the ☼Sunday☼ paper  about older figures influencing the youth, I realized some of the attributes that I’ve acquired from each of my grandparents:

My maternal grandparents, mother (directly to my seated grandmother‘s left ~ at bottom right) and her siblings cerca 1950s

• sanitation to an OCD level from my Lolo Tico (my paternal grandfather) ~ who also didn’t like to get his hands dirty
• teaching from my Lola Rosa (my maternal grandmother) ~ whose letters she wrote I’ve saved through the decades
• compassion from my Mama Eufemia  (my paternal grandmother) ~ who cared about everybody despite their faults
• determination from my Papa Pedro (my paternal grandfather) ~ who exhibited strong will and mental toughness

My paternal grandparents, father (the only Dispo Bro without a ‘fro ~ at top right) and his siblings cerca 1970s

Then when we had our merienda, Papa Jun mentioned how his own paternal grandfather told him stories about how he and his eldest son/my dad’s oldest uncle on Papa Ped‘s side served in the Philippine Army together during WWII, when Japan invaded our native Philippines ~ during which my paternal great-grandfather and my oldest paternal great-uncle had survived the brutal Bataan March as they looked out for one another to dodge the Japanese’s weapons. Listening to my father’s account brought me greater admiration for him and the military heroes of our family from generations before and after.

†GOD† bless all ♥Grandparents♥ and our *Military Heroes* ✌ …

& Go, *Dallas Cowboys* who kick off their regular NFL season in ☼Sunday☼ Night Football!

Movie & Musical Monday: Classics

Happy Memorial Day! 🇺🇸

With the hype of recent releases🎥 and upcoming summer blockbusters📹 on the 🎬silver screen, there’s no doubt that theaters🎫 will be packed, especially with students being off…

I’ve enjoyed my share lately and look forward to more, but with these excessive ⚡️thunderstorms☔️ (i.e., Texas floods), I’ve preferred to stay home with my own media collection.

Speaking of 📀movies💽 & 🎼music🎵 🐯Asia🐅 (with whom I celebrate my 9th 😻Annie-versary😍 mañana) & my fave film together during her 🐱kittenhood🐈 was 🐵Curious🙈 🙉George🐒 in which 🌺Jack🌴 🎸Johnson🎤 is featured on the 💿soundtrack🎶

At Hastings Entertainment (where I worked in high school and college), I’ve taken advantage of my vinyl📻 discount ~ as I’m a vintage gal!

I relate the most to these Disney 👸🏻princesses/heroines💃🏻 because they have dark hair 💁🏻 like yours truly, + who can’t resist the shared spaghetti🍝 scene between 2 🐶K9s🐾

Plus, I play my timeless Disney 💎classics💍 to lift☝🏽️ my spirits😇 sometimes. We’re never too old to watch these animations📺 based on

♪A 🌈dream💭 is a wish your 💝heart💖 makes♫

👣Footnote: An underlying meaning behind The Little Mermaid🐚 is the life lesson of adapting to another cultural civilization🏯

Soul Saturday: Pride and Heritage

Fresh Off the Boat = Fresh On Point!

Throwback: I sport my red adidas track suit while my †GODdaughter† & I pose w/my ♥Double A–Team♥ @ the ♪piano♫ 5y ago!

 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

Dallas Mavericks: NBA Finals Champions 2011!

Old School: Grant Hill played for Coach K in *Team USA*

•  We both look up to Shaq ~ who is a fellow Ph.D.

• We jam out to rap
• We dig video games
• We have a diverse bunch of friends
• Our names start with E

Claudie C. Royals: Abilene, Texas Hero Who Made Black History

Claudie C. Royals Banquet 2014 Advance in Abilene Reporter-News (print Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2014, and website)

WHO: Claudie C. Royals
WHAT: Claudie C. Royals Banquet
WHERE: Abilene Civic Center
WHEN: Claudie C. Royals Day ~ Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, 7 p.m.

*Prayers for Broadcaster Tom Brokaw‘s Healing from Cancer*

My Dearest Darling

Happy 101st Birthday, ROSA TABERNERO REYES! My maternal grandmother lived a long life by what I call the S trio:
*strength
*struggle
*success
She & I were pen pals, so I’m about to read the letters that she air mailed to me from the PI, in which she always started off by writing w/endearment: “My Dearest Darling Elaine”…
As a fellow school teacher, I didn’t realize that I’d follow in her footsteps, yet she encouraged me to pursue a career in the fine arts, since she was impressed by my calligraphy & drawings that I’d send to her + my musical interests. Today, & the entire month of March, I shall especially celebrate my Lola Rosing: my mentor, my role model, my idol, my hero, my best friend, my favorite person on Earth, & now my guardian angel watching over me from Heaven.
~*~ R.I.P., NANAY ROSA (March 5, 1910-March 14, 2008) ~*~