#HappyEaster to my #Peeps this #JubileeYearOfMercy #Easter2016 love from #DoubleATeam #RememberTheCross #JesusChristCrucified #MaryMostSorrowful #HolyMedals #flowers #crucifix #OurLadyOfGuadalupe #PopeFrancis #cross #mercy #PeterCottontail #EasterBunny #NewLife #DecadeOfAsia TODAY #BirthdayCat #EasterBunnyCats #HolyCowCats #ThrowbackCat #ThrowbackThursday #TBT #HolyThursday #Easter #YearOfMercy #ElaineDispoPhotography: original photos including medals on the petals #DrDISPObustAFlow 🐰🐱🐯🦁🐤🐣🐥🐇🕊🐈🐆🐅💐🌺🌻🌹🌷🌼💝💒
†Lesson learned: Serve with care and respect for others
Throwback Thursday: There are 2 things you should practice in life: #gratitude & #forgiveness ~ Dr. Fe Reyes-Dollete #WordsOfWisdom from my Tita who wants us to uphold our family’s #legacy #TBT #ThrowbackThursday #ReyesReunion * #BirthdayTrip2015 #HappyTrip * Lolo Tico & Lola Rosa🌹 • Titas Fe & Aida • Mami Aya • Titos Art & Dr. @robert_chief_cpd #OurBlessedMother #FamilyTree #garden #love #Filipiniana #MagandaKaTalaga #MahalKita ☝🏽️✌🏽️🙏🏽👏🏽🌠🌟⭐️✨💫👑💐🌳🏡💝💖💟💗💓💞💕❤️💛💚💙💜
When we visited the Selena🌺 shrine🌴 in Corpus a couple of months ago in commemoration of her 2-decade anniversary, I mentioned how Selena is my cousin’s fave 🎬film🎥, and my buddy pointed out how his is La Bamba.
Trivia: Did you know that the *star* of La Bamba, Lou Diamond💎 Phillips, is Pinoy, like yours truly?
Along with this classic, I got a package💽 that included The Buddy Holly Story, about one of the legends📀 who perished with “Hi-Tone”🎤 in that fatal flight✈️ crash.
My favorite 🎼jingles🎵 for RV, who achieved the 🇺🇸American 🌈Dream, include:
Donna (who doesn’t like a song tribute to your true 💝love?)
We Belong Together (which Selena sang a rendition as a child)
Recently, my student (tomorrow’s birthday boy) actually starred in his ’50s📻 school play as Ritchie!
R.I.P.✌️ Richard Valenzuela👼 (May 13, 1941-February 3, 1959)
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)!
I am the LORD, your GOD; you shall have no other GODs besides Me.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your GOD in vain.
Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it Holy.
Beautiful 💝gift🎁 from our special student Felicity
The 7 Deadly Sins (and their roots)
Anger (root: fear of forgiving)
Envy (root: fear of being powerless)
Lust (root: fear of being a child)
Pride (root: fear of submitting my will to another)
Gluttony (root: fear of mortification)
Sloth (root: fear of commitment)
Avarice (root: fear of detachment)
🌍Earth🌎 Day: Delightful Dani shows off her giraffe after her interview, Faithful Felicity and I showcase our 💐plants🌾 + fellow *Dallas Cowboys* fan Amazing Adrian & I wave👋 like 😇St. Pope JPII!
Bibliography
Kelly, M. (2012). The four signs of a Dynamic Catholic: How engaging 1% of Catholics could change the world. Cincinnati, OH: Beacon.
*† ♥Sacred Heart Catholic Church. (n. d.) Examination of Conscience. Diocese of San Angelo
🎈Happy🎁 🎂Birthday🍰 to the late and great Selena ~ the sweet and soulful Tejano 🎼songstress🎤 who was 👼slain💐 20 years ago.
Throwback Thursday: My H.S. 💃Spanish🎋 📗textbook📖 cover, in which I sketched my favorite Latinas ~ including 🎼Selena🎤 (bottom right)
I visited her shrine when it was new and again recently, plus have the 💽film📺 about her life saved on my 📳iPhone 6+📲 ~ so I watched it again on my latest 🎬Movie Day🎥
One thing that I caught this time that I didn’t observe the first few times I watched it several years ago was a scene portraying the young 🎸Selena y los Dinos’🎹 struggle in Harlingen ~ the last city where I lived when I taught en el Valle!
In the spirit of Throwback Thursday, after going Tuesday Beauty happy and adding the 2 for Tuesday *bonus* Sweater Weather Tag, I’m accepting these 2013 truth challenges for full disclosure. Enjoy, and if you’ve done either of these tags, please feel free to comment with the link to your answers!
How fit do you consider yourself to be? Are you happy with the shape you’re in?On a scale from 1-10, I’d say an 8. While I know that I’m fab, I still can stand to lose some flab.
Do you play any sports?I did back in the day ~ as in basketball & tennis 2 decades ago in jr. high ~ then discovered that I’m a much better spectator @ my fave sport: basketball, than I am as a baller… Competitions in which I’ve participated as a grown-up have been races, but I’ve mainly run them to benefit their worthy causes. Now I’m proud to say that I’m part of the 26.2 (full marathon) club & have run in several smaller events (e.g., 5Ks) since then!
Shot Gun Bang! Fiesta Marathon‘s my chance to run like a Mustang!
South Texas College 5K (where I used to teach) ~ I should’ve done more high knees!
Besides those, do you exercise as well?That’s exactly what I do to stay fit nowadays! Please check out my recommendations on the Pretty Fit Way blog & the Pretty Fit iOS app!
Do you have any fitness or health related goals?I work out to stay healthy, relieve stress & reduce my risk for disease in the long run.
Which celebrity’s body would you like to have?Does Elaine Dispo count? I’d like to say I’m my own celeb… But if I had to choose someone other than yours truly, I really dig on Jessica Alba’s bod! Plus, I must give myself props on mocking other folks pretty well for Halloween.
*TRUE BLUE*Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader
I love the Princess Leia hair from Episode IV, but it’s her goddess bod from VI that screams SEXY!
What’s your favorite and/or least favorite exercise?My #1 fave is dancing because I can do it anywhere & everywhere; as a matter of fact, I most recently caught myself just grooving to the chores without even planning to burn calories that way today! My least fave may have to be burpees (jump to plank to squat) because they kick my boot-ay, but they’re definitely effective for my boot-ay!
How important is leading an active and healthy lifestyle for you?Extremely; this is THE way of life, not just for the sake of taking care of our bodies, but also our minds & our souls ~ not to mention our hearts (both literally & figuratively) ~ all the way inside & out!
How much attention to a healthy diet do you pay?On a scale from 1-10, I’d go with a 7. Although I keep track of my calorie consumption & burn, I don’t always pass up my weakness: sweets (e.g., cupcakes)!
What’s your biggest diet secret?I don’t diet. Since I don’t believe in depriving myself from what brings me joy, I’ll at least control my portions & eat in moderation.
Do you smoke, or have you ever smoked in the past?Never ever. I don’t have the desire to mess up my lungs, heart, teeth or skin… So no, thanks!
Name a beauty regimen that you rarely do?I’ve never applied primer to my face. I’m not into caking on a mask, as I’m completely content with my concealer, foundation & powder (I don’t always use ALL of the above @ the same time).
Is washing your make-up brushes something that you do regularly?I don’t wash them too frequently because I want them to last, so I don’t use the same ones too often. When I do wash them, I use my M•A•C Brush Cleanser (pictured below).
How long will you last with chipped nail polish?I plead the 5th… on going past the 5th day.
How long will you put off buying/replacing a beauty product, even if you need it?I seldom ever need a new beauty product because I usually have a backup supply to replenish once I run out of something.
What is your worst beauty habit?Admittedly, I’ve gone to sleep without removing my makeup & washing my face on more than a few occasions ~ not something I’m proud of, for which there aren’t any legit excuses.
Name something non-beauty related that you put off doing all the time?Decluttering ~ which I’m actually doing during this Spring Break on breaks from my dissertation! Since I’m not that much of a cosmetics hoarder, I don’t have much to purge, but I did get rid of loads of Bath & Body Works nail polish 1½ years ago, way past due.
When going out somewhere, do you leave getting ready to the last minute?Not always; I usually spare 2-3h before I’m supposed to leave for a planned event, so I can devote a little more time on my studies, a project or pleasure-______ (-reading, -surfing ~ as in channel- or net-surfing, etc.) before I take off. If I go the other way around & keep working then have minimal time to shower, hair & makeup + nails, then I don’t do myself justice.
Can you commit to spending bans?I haven’t made any, but I suppose that it’s worth a shot. Now if I only I had before my cosmetics sprees! How lame that my hometown just closed down our only M•A•C shop yesterday after being open for a short while.
How organized are your make-up and nail polish collections?On a scale from 1-10, this should be a solid 9. Check out my acrylic organizer on my dresser here, where I can find everything in place, arranged according to color & category (nails on the left, makeup on the right). The red & clear beads that help keep my eye liners, lip balms & gloss straight in the front right compartment are from the centerpiece of my table at the Sweetheart Ball to celebrate this past Valentine’s Day.
Acrylic Organizer keeps my RTW Nail Care & Makeup out in View for Open Concept
Red + Clear Beads = LOVE Ambiance
♥ Warmest Kisses, Tightest Hugs & Much LOVE to my Dearest Darling Lola Rosing (March 5, 1910-March 14, 2014) in Heaven above!!!
Remembering Lola Rosa on her 101st Birthday: 3 generations – Lola Rosing, Nanay, & yours truly – the day after Lola’s 96th Birthday (3/6/2006) — with Estrella Dispo.
CHEERS as we Ring in Spring & Get Lucky on St. Patty’s Day!!! ♣
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…
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 