Motivational Monday: Mis Padres

Pope Francis offers his take* on how home influences our faith [my commentary in brackets]:

“Faith opens a ‘window’ to the presence and working of the Spirit. It shows us that, like happiness, holiness is always tied to little gestures.

‘Whoever gives you a cup of water in my name will not go unrewarded,’ Jesus says (Mark 9:41).

“These little gestures are those we learn at home, in the family; they get lost amid all the other things we do, yet they do make each day different. They are the quiet things done by mothers and grandmothers, by fathers and grandfathers, by children, by brothers and sisters. They are little signs of tenderness, affection, and compassion.

• “Like the warm supper we look forward to at night [my mom‘s homecooking], the early meal awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work [my dad‘s coffee].

“Homely gestures.

• “Like a blessing before we go to bed [blessing my honorary GODdaughter Maggie at bedtime, as her family does], or a hug after we return from a hard day’s work.

“Love is shown by little things, by attention to small daily signs that make us feel at home. Faith grows when it is lived and shaped by love. That is why our families, our homes, are true domestic churches. They are the right place for faith to become life and life to grow in faith.”

*Pope Francis in the U.S.: Words of Mercy and Hope (2015), Daughters of St. Paul, pp. 22-23 ~ as said at the Closing Mass of the Eighth World Meeting of Families, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA, Sunday, September 27, 2015.

^– I actually used this passage as my pre-brunch prayer of grace with my parents today! –^

Bearing in mind these homely gestures, let’s also consider our cultures and upbringings…

Have you ever wondered why your parents act the way they do then realize that you’re turning out more like them as you grow up?

Wong Fu was right on point:

Have you eaten yet? = Priceless ♥love♥

Speaking of family …

Happy 17th Birthday to Rey-Rey, my beloved GODdaughter Reyanna mañana!

Motivational Monday: Non-Trick Treats

We can’t go wrong with positive reinforcement …

Childhood Examples

• behaving all year long –> CHRISTmas gifts from “Santa”
• pulling out your baby teeth –> chunk change from the “Tooth Fairy”
• asking “Trick or Treat?” politely –> candy and other goodies (such as Bible verses or prayer cards)
• reading x# of pages or books –> “Book It” (now “Accelerated Reader”) points and prizes ~ like a personal pan pizza from the Hut

Lately, rewarding myself helps ease the toughness of a rigorous project!

Adult Examples

• with my wider budget: *Dallas Cowboys* games toward the end of the season after the fall semester
• with my now tighter budget: books and video ~ which I planned to read and watch after I advance

Great timing since I just progressed onto my next series!

• Furious 7 ~ complete with Target exclusive ♫music samples♪
• The Glam Guide ~ by beauty guru and online force Fleur De Force

3:33 ~ make a wish!!! ✌

Go, *Dez Bryant* ~  in his return to the field for NFL ☼Sunday☼ yesterday!

Motivational Manic Monday: Series I, Round I

♫Columbus sailed the ocean blue♪ … which are as deep & true as my Grad Cat‘s baby blues! Here, I’m bringing out those blues with my *NEW* Adam Lippes for Target sweater dress vest ~ my gray go-to playful plaid layering piece this fall!

Happy Columbus Day!

Stats Cat‘s got my back on Columbus Day & always as I rock out my Anchor & Sailor Wheel earrings!

As I prepare for my committee defense, I’m connecting and comparing my upcoming dissertation presentations to playoffs for post-season sports:

• After advancing from my Concept Proposal (Fall 2013) * Proposal Defense (♣Spring♣ 2014) * IRB Approval (Fall 2014) * Research Methods (Fall 2014-☼Summer☼ 2015) * Running Statistics (☼Summer☼ 2015) * Run-Throughs (Fall 2015) …

1. First Series: Committee Defense (for my team of 3 professors) — 2 Rounds anticipated
2. Second Series: Faculty Defense (for my entire conference of professors) — 2-3+ Rounds anticipated
3. Third and Final Championship Series: Public Dissertation Defense to become Doctor (for anybody and everybody) — last Round, a.k.a. the Final Reveal before my well-anticipated graduation

So, who is my competition, you ask?

I could say my faculty of professors, but they’re on my side to succeed, so I’ll have to go with myself on my level of resilience to determine whether I stay and sustain through the game: Yours Truly vs. Yours Truly

I got this! Bring on the determination and confidence!! No thanks to the fear and discouragement!!!

Also, my good family friend, fellow devout Catholic, my ♥Tita Lydia♥ pointed out to me this:

My Doctoral Degree is my Vocation

Motivational Movie Mon: GT is for …

Great Teacher!

GTO reminds me of myself: He cares about his students & is a biker!

Before I began teaching at the college level, my 🇺🇸Airman✈️ buddy, who was stationed in 🐎Texas🏇🏽 and 🌺Cali🌴 when I lived in both, introduced me to anime Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO)

Watch with humor …

So I’ve been going by Great Teacher Dispo ever since!

Warning: Clever wit is needed for this content!

Great timing to pop in these DVDs as the 🍎school🎓 year approaches!

Motivational Movie Monday: Vic Vids

For a 💡dose🍊 of motivation:

My 👓Must-See👀 💿DVDs📀

  

Get Coached is a collection💾 of 🎬segments🎥 from 🌠winning🏆 🏉football🏈 📣coaches📢

• 4 NFL head coaches, including 2 Mikes ~ one (Singletary) who played for another Mike (Ditka) & the father (Buddy Ryan) of another featured coach (Rex Ryan), + another one (Sean Payton) who I actually reported on for one of my last doctoral classes
• The Florida State Seminoles former coach (Bobby Bowden)

 

I also am including how their speeches🎤 ~ which are relevant not just in terms of athletic leadership, but 👔corporate💼 🏣business, as well ~ tie in with the 🌈exemplary💭 leadership theory that I’m exploring in my doctoral🎓 📜dissertation.

📢Cheers👏🏽 to 🏉NFL🏈 Preseason I 🎊2015🎉 👟kickoff!

Motivational Manic Monday: Stats Cat

The Purrfect Distraction from my Data Scoring Manual …

Annie demands attention

Meet Angel Annie the Stats Cat!

She’s following in her Big Sis Asia the Grad Cat‘s pawsteps!

Asia takes over my Dallas Cowboys desk chair

Despite not spending as much QT with my Cuties as I’d like, at least they still come around while I’m hard at work!

Manny Monday: Fight, 4th, Cinco, Nurses & Moms

Happy May the 4th be with You!

Monday’s multiple feature is about May days …

• First, I traveled to SA for school and to meet with my esés for the game and fight*

Pinoy Pride ✌

*My remarks about Manny:

• He has way more going on in his life than just being a fighter:

1. He lives by his faith
2. He is a hero to his family and my native country due to

• his generosity from his earnings and
• his political career

… while Fighter is the only identity that Floyd Mayweather has achieved:

1. Professionally, obviously
2. Personally ~ considering his history of violence

This self-proclaimed $Money$ was in it for

• The title and to remain undefeated
• $elfishly keeping his winnings

 

• Before and after my trip back home, I had to celebrate May the Fourth be with You 

*** Star Wars *stars* ***

Cory’s King Cavalier Spaniels

Charlotte Bleu as Chewbacca

♪♫Rowley Jazz♫♪ as R2D2

Chris’ Rat Terrier

Snappy Jack as Darth Vader

My Double As as Princess Leia

Queen Asia with Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s Krayt Dragon

Princess Annie with Mardji Elephants

• Please vote for my Nurse Mom the Bday Girl in spirit of Nurses Week (May 6th-12th) and ☼Mother’s Day☼

Please go to No. 16 of 37 to find us, thanks!

• Please read this San Angelo Standard-Times article about my grad school classmate who asks for us to donate in the wake of the Nepal earthquake (in which I’m also quoted)

Throwback: Decade ago when we were awarded with our ASU grad scholarships

• Here are throwbacks from celebrating Cinco de Mayo Fiesta when I was teaching en el Valle

 

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo mañana!

Manic Monday: March Madness Motivation Edition ~ Coach K Wins 5th NCAA Today!

“Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.” ~ Vince Lombardi 🏈

That was a quote from a clue that appeared on today’s episode of Double Jeopardy! 📺

M is for …

March Madness * Motivational * Men’s Basketball * Magnificent Coach = Mike Krzyzewski

Coach K aims high: one and done, son! ☝️

The commentators for tonight’s close [insert here: 💅nail-biting😁, white-knuckling👊, edge-of-your-seat💺, screaming-when-you’ve-already-lost your-voice😱] NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball🏀 Championship described Coach K as magnificent.

A is for: Ability to Adapt and Adjust

These analysts also attributed this to Coach K.

Coach K now can count his NCAA championship titles on one full hand 👋

Now, more than ever, I’m confident that I chose the right topic for my doctoral🎓 dissertation📜 research because this amazing man was the one who affirmed it more in the first place and has served as a driving force behind my continued studies!

Coach K won five by five! 🙌

Aside from Coach K’s coaching leadership on the court and in the locker room for both college and pro ball that I’ve observed and studied*, I’ve admired him for the following reasons in which I can relate:

• He served our country🇺🇸, through the United States Army (I appreciate all of our veterans)
• He also is a devout🙏 Catholic💒

What a way for this senior to wrap up his college ball career! 👊

I must update my dissertation introduction, in which I mentioned that Coach K has led his Duke Blue Devils to four NCAA titles🏆 –> I now can revise it to FIVE!!! 

Also, my 😸Double A-Teammates😻 deserve credit as my good luck🍀 charms toward this championship because during most of the game when the Wisconsin Badgers led, I was working on school💻, and when I tuned in more during crunch and clutch time⏰, they joined me to cheer📢 on the young Devs that included majority freshmen in the starting line-up! 

YES, my Snow Angels go for the Blue Devils!

Lastly, I wish to point out that the very first paper that I wrote for my doctoral coursework compared the coaching styles of Coach K and his West Point coach, Bobby Knight ~ I’m proud that I aced🃏 it back then and proud of this team this whole season and tonight! 🌠

For the love of the team and the love of the game! 💝

*For more reasons why Coach K has the winning leadership recipe that champions both high performance and satisfaction, please read his books📚 and these studies📑 that I cited about him and Coach Knight, a.k.a. The General:

My Concept Map Bibliography (LEAD 9310, Oct. 21, 2008)

• Carpenter, M. (2001). Quotable general: Words of wisdom, motivation, & success by and about BOBBY KNIGHT, basketball’s unrivaled teacher. Nashville, TN: Towlehouse.
• Coach K.com. (2008). Coach K – The official web site of Coach Mike Krzyzewski. Retrieved October 20, 2008, from http://www.coachk.com
• Feinstein, J. (1989). A season on the brink: A year with Bob Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers. New York: Simon and Schuster.
• Klein, P. (2006). Management styles: Bob Knight vs. Coach K. Organizations and Markets.
• Krzyzewski, M. (2000). Leading with the heart. New York: Warner Books.
• Maresco, P. (2007). Leadership and recruitment: What leaders can learn from Coach Robert Montgomery Knight: A conceptual view. Academic Leadership, 5(1).
• Mellen, J. (1988). Bob Knight: His own man: The man behind the myth – on and off the court, 1^st ed. New York: Donald I. Fine, Inc.
• Plonsky, C. (2008). The softer side of Bobby Knight. Chronicle of Higher Education, 54(24).
• Silverthorne, P. (2006). HBS cases: On managing with Bobby Knight and “Coach K.” HBS Working Knowledge.
• Sulek, R. P. (1990). Hoosier honor: Bob Knight and academic success at Indiana University. New York: Praeger.

Nothing but net! 🏀

Motivational Monday: Making History

Today was one of those perfect productive ☼days☼ …

What better way to kick off my so-called ♣Spring Break♣?

• My good friend‘s book is making history (literally) and waves ~ here on Texas Public Radio ~ an inspiration!
• On my agenda, I interviewed the Rhodes Brothers for the biography, in addition to helping with their foundation
• I progressed further into my doctoral research, partially from my interviews in addition to more schools I can survey

Now my Doogie Howser, MD (YES, my Neil Patrick Harris love runs deep and dates back before HIMYM‘s Bro Code and Playbook‘s Barney Stinson) “blog” question is this:

Would I prefer to make history or write about it?

To which, my answer would be: BOTH ~†GOD†-willing!