Meme: Now that I know what it is, I have developed a dislike for it

Disclaimer: I'm only doing this because I was tagged by the "godfeather" of the Chicken Crime Family. For the record, I think this is a lousy meme. (Huh? What is a meme?!)It's not very interesting, and not worth the time to read it. It's a good thing it's rather simple to do. Feel free to just gloss over it and comment out of topic if you want.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
Commencing my trek to becoming a Physical Therapist in the hallowed walls of UST. A journey I took blindfolded and did now know took 5 years.

2. Five things on my to-do list today:
It's a Saturday so I plan to

• blog
• do my laundry
• attend a post-grad update
• hangout with friends
• find time to review for the NPTE

In that order. Now you know why it's taking me this long to take the exam.

3. Snacks I enjoy:
I snack quite a lot, and thus have to find a relatively healthy one that's filling and tastes good.

Yep! It has fiber too! Try it! :)

4. Places where I've lived:
Let me see... Middle Earth, Narnia, Terminus, Bayport, Hogwarts, the Old Republic, and of course, Springfield. Ok, so I'm a geek like that, sue me.

5. Things I'd do if I were a billionaire:
I'd set up foundations to help educate kids, assist field missionaries, lend start-up capital to gutsy and brilliant business endeavors and fund scientific researches for more efficient energy alternatives, economically relevant inventions or evidence-based studies on alternative medicines/ treatment approaches.

I figured a billion wouldn't be enough for all those, but we all got to start somewhere.

6. People I want to know more about:
Aline, Cam, Dianne, KM, and Vanny. (Yes, that means you've just been tagged )

Boston Three Party

Sorry! Couldn't resist the pun. Game 6 was indeed a party where the Lakers where invited to be humiliated.

• Ray Allen came out smoking and ended up shooting 7/9 from three points tying a single game record and 22 for the series, setting an NBA Finals record.
  
• Kevin Garnett was scoring at will, rebounding left and right, finishing the series with a double double, 18ppg, and 13rpg.
  
• Paul Pierce was all hearts, leading all Celtics with close to 22 ppg and 6 apg.

And Rajon Rondo, the difference maker scoring a total of 21 pts, 7 rebs, 8 assists, and a whooping 6 steals to match Kobe's 6 TO's (making a Finals record himself).

If you saw the Celt's Games 4 comeback and then adding my theory to the equation, it was clear that Boston would walk away the Champs after Game 6 (though I never would've believed that it would happen the way it did). What was difficult, at least for me though, is to pick who should win Finals MVP.

I know Paul Pierce deserved it, but so did KG and Allen. A lot of different players stepped up in crucial parts of the series. Clearly this is a team in the very essence of the word, very much unlike Kobe and the Lakers. So while I wanted Ray Allen to win Finals MVP (because I think he was the most consistent among the 3 during the entire series) and though I agree that Paul Pierce was the heart of this team (KG too arguably), I think the real Finals MVP for the Celtics is Kobe Bryant.

Yep, it's our season MVP, Kobe! He only scored almost 26ppg, down from 33 against the Suns and the Jazz, and 29 against the Spurs, and shot a poor 40% from the field. He takes a third of all their shots, and produces only a quarter of the team's scoring output. Yep, he messed up their offense pretty bad, and that's a problem when you're team is only known for your offense. So one could reasonably say that he won the Celtics their championship.

Anyhow, I think this is a fitting ending for their storybook season down to a fairy tale finish. They started and ended the season strong with a 66-16 W-L record. From the kid who didn't even get in the line to be picked for the post-season extravaganza last year to the Belle of the Ball this year. This Boston trio is as good as any they ever had. And they have now crossed the line, leaving NBA greats like Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone and Reggie Miller, achieving their first championship title together. At the expense of their age-old rival too, the LA Lakers.

Congratulations to the Boston Celtics, NBA Champions 2008!
NBA... where amazing happens.

A Boston Big 3 Meeting in LA just before giving LA Game 5, series still in favor of Boston at 3-2

Before the start of Game 5
After watching the video above where a man wearing a Celtic jersey in a public viewing of Game 2 at the Staples Center almost got himself killed...

Kevin: "Hey guys I just saw a vid on youtube... I'm not sure I feel like getting lynched in LA tonight."
Ray: "Same here this being my first time winning a championship and all."
Paul: "Hmm... Ok leave it to me. We're never going to win if I hog the ball."
Kevin: "Be sure to spread the ball a bit though ok? We don't want to be too obvious."


At half-time
P: "Good job Ray, we sure showed them who's boss. Nows the time to start missing those shots though. We just want to scare 'em, not beat them."
R: "Sure thing Cap!"
P: "And yo KG! Start rebounding some or it's gonna be telling."
R: "And while you're at it, ease up the D on Pau, I mean it's cool if you foul out and all, but Kobe might just decide to lose this game all by himself."


After the game
K: "Tremendous effort you guys... now that's what I call team work!"
R: "I'm splitting, don't want to have to lie to those reporters."
P: "See you back at the Garden. And dream me up some gold!"

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Now we're going back to Boston to end Kobe's dream of ever coming close to his Airness. Boston 92, LA 87. Unless Joey Crawford decides he has beef with KG or if Bennett Salvatore's cosa nostra are closet Kobe fans. Yes, these 2 great referees will be officiating the game along with Eddie Rush.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Week 2008

June 16 to 20

is

"Cardiac Rehabilitation Week"

At least it is in the Philippines, I think they celebrate it around February in the US. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Section of the Philippine Heart Center (my work and my advocacy) have been celebrating it for the last 3 years (in cooperation with the Council of Cardiac Rehabilitation of the Philippine Heart Association).

This year, in light of the economic crisis we are in right now, we are highlighting the cost-effectiveness of joining a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. We see lots of patients after an open-heart surgery or other cardiac events who don't enroll in the program because of financial constraints when such a program isn't even 3% of the entire cost of the procedure. This despite proof that entering such a program would save them time and money by virtue of a faster recovery, and in the long run, minimized hospital re-admissions.¹ Instead they turn to alternative medicines, most of which are mere quackery and are largely unproven.

Clearly education is necessary. The guidelines the council came up with last 2005 defined Cardiac Rehabilitation as...

...a comprehensive process by which patients with or at risk of cardiovascular disease, with the help of a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals are restore to and maintained at their optimal well being.

Council on Cardiac Rehabilitation, PHA (2005)

Thus it is our goal not only to reach people with heart disease but those who are at risk of having one as well. So let me take this opportunity to invite everyone to participate in our activities.

June 16 (Monday)
"Cardiac Rehabilitation through the years"
a photo exhibit

June 19 (Thursday)
Lay Forum and Health Fair
9am to 12nn

"Alternative Medicines:Are they effective?"
by Dr. Leandro Bongosia
Section Chief

"Stress Management for these difficult times"
by Dr. Edgardo Ebba
Training Officer

Free ECG, Cholesterol and Random Blood Sugar testing

interpretation by Consultant Cardiologists

June 20 (Friday)
Cooking Demo of healthy and cost-efficient recipes
1 to 2:30pm

Come and join us! It's free! And it could very well be your heart you save. See ya! (Feel free to contact me for queries.)




This is our logo as it should be.



And this is the photo-montage I prepared for the exhibit. Not bad huh?

¹

http://www.ima.org.il/imaj/ar01jun-8.pdf
http://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/whc/archive/evidence/06%20rehab/Rehab%20after%20CABG%20JCardiovascRisk%202001.pdf
http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache:LJnsYHJbnAsJ:www.aacvpr.org/policy/reimbursement/fastfacts_cardiac.doc+cost+effectiveness+of+cardiac+rehab+in+post+CABG+patients&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7

Happy Father's Day!

I have nothing but admiration for all fathers out there, but this Father's Day isn't just for you.

It's also for mothers who are forced to be fathers because the guy who got them knocked up doesn't deserve to be called a father.

It's also for grandfathers (and grandmothers for that matter) who takes on the responsibility of rearing their grandchildren because their children are incapable of doing so (either because of their early demise, financial incapability, or lack of responsibility).

It's also for our kuyas and ates who protected us from the school bully, helped us with our homeworks, gave us extra money for our baon and bore the responsibility of facing teachers when we were too afraid to tell our parents we messed up in school again.

It's also for leaders, teachers, pastors, spiritual advisers, and bosses (sometimes) who take on the role of guiding us, their "children" in the aspect of life that our biological fathers can not always be present for.

And finally, it's for our Creator, the eternal Father who made us, cared for us, guided us, provided for us and loved us. Our father we see but don't look at, hear but don't listen to, feel but don't love as much as He loves us.

To all of them... Happy Father's Day!