SW19 "tragedy": Big Four - 1

Aaargh...
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Philipina A. Marcelo


And so, Roger Federer did it again! *sigh* Yeah... he messed with our minds again, and it's so not funny! No! Especially not in Wimbledon, no! Grrrr...

I'm mad! I'm not happy! I want to scream... especially that RF has not
Uh, yeah, that's right... think
about it all, RF!been screaming after letting the live-wire Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, snatch victory from him after a 2 sets to love "almost victory"... yeah, almost, just almost! And that's all that it will ever be! Ugh! Losing to Rafael Nadal in the could've-gone-the-other-way final at Roland Garros, while disappointing, was forgivable. But in Wimbledon... it's a different story altogether! I don't understand... how, how, and how? How could a legendary grass champion go two sets up and in control of most of the third set against a player he'd beaten four times in their five previous meetings only to lose in the end... and in the quarter final where he arrived dropping only one set, too? It's unthinkable! Yes, that's what it is - unthinkable! Incredible, illogical, unbelievable! I'm mad - so, so mad!

No, I am not trying to diminish the brilliance with which Tsonga played to dig himself out of the two-set hole in which RF buried him at the beginning of the match. The Frenchman played with a single mind - to win the match regardless
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, flying high! of the legend on the other side of the net! He didn't stop giving himself chances even when the numbers on the score board were damning, to say the least! In the end, he managed to turn the table around... and prevailed! It was heroic, fantastic, admirable! And yet, what RF fan could take all this without feeling cheated, betrayed... abandoned in the hope of seeing the great champ re-write history once again in the most legible and beautiful strokes that only he could ever do??? Aaaargh...

OK, I know, I'm not being fair... I'm being a terrible bully. I'm sure RF does not enjoy losing, too. But that's exactly the point, he doesn't have to! *sigh* I think I need time... away from my precious tennis
The Centre Court of the All England Club, the most
hallowed ground of tennis where the very best and
legendary Champions emerge.world for a while! This is too hurtful. It is! And it is unbelievable that the terrible hurting was caused by the tennis champion who, I will always believe, is the very best to walk the earth - even now when I thought he did some terribly disappointing thing out there in SW19 - letting it all slip away as if the "love and lust" for tennis of half of the tennis world did not depend on him holding on... in his favorite court of all places - the same court most tennis fans consider the most revered of all courts in the universe! Aaaargh... No one, just no one, should step onto the Centre Court of Wimbledon - and all the hallowed grounds of SW19, for that matter - without winning in his/her mind - seriously! Ugh, Roger! *sigh* :(

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Photo credits: All photos were grabbed from the Zimbio website - thanks!

Bits and pieces, and some tasty chunks of Wimbledon

The heat is on in SW19!
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by Philipina A. Marcelo


And so, the courts at SW19 sizzled as the remaining 16 men and 16 women in whites battled one another to book their places in the quarter-finals of the 125th Championships at Wimbledon. Most matches were heart-thumping... and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wowified the audience in the Centre Court, too. Oy! :)

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World No. 1 beaten by a fiery little one

So, the 2011 Wimbledon Championships was not going to be "the one" for the
Wozniacki, not again.World No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki - yet again. She was ousted by the "little lady" from Slovakia, Dominika Cibulkova in their Round of 16 match. Wozniacki, in her usual less than modest attire and interestingly lacquered nails, was out in Court No. 2 with her boringly predictable game... what else? *sigh* She took the first set... but Cibulkova decided to inject some excitement into their match with fiery shots - good for her! - and took the second set in a tie break. At 1 set all and 5 games all in the third set, on Wozniacki’s serve, 0-40,
Cibulkova, fantastic win!Wozniacki moved Cibulkova around and then hit an overhead, which Cibulkova had no hope of saving. There was an emphatic “oh” from the crowd... but no appreciative clap! :) At that point, there was no denying who the crowd was supporting. I know I also gasped with an “oh”... in my disappointment – I would’ve wanted Cibulkova to have caught it! :) But the "little one" went on to break Wozniacki and then took the match on her serve, 1-6, 7(7)-6(5), 7-5. Brilliant! :)

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An Aussie in the House!

So, the teenager from the Land Down Under, Bernard Tomic,
Bernard Tomic, hot!who sent Robin Soderling packing from the third round, got rid of the tough Belgian, Xavier Malisse, in a straight sets win. He booked a big place in a quarter-final clash with Novak Djokovic, who put away the Frenchman, Michael Llodra, in their own Round of 16 match - nothing spectacular, just routine win for The Djoker. Tomic, on the other hand, looked sharp. And the teenager seemed to be having fun - and it was nice to see. :)

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Sisters, over and out!

Venus Williams was totally murdered by Tsavetana Pironkova in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. Williams was moving like she needed help to get her through the match... from whom? If she was expecting a helping hand from her defending Champ little sister, tough luck for her because, unfortunately, Serena Williams, was already out of the Championships as Venus struggled in the Centre Court. Serena was walloped by the Frenchwoman Marion Bartolli in straight sets, 6-3, 7(8)-6(6).

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La guerra en SW19!

There was a WAR in the Centre Court, and it’s between the defending Champ Rafael Nadal and the 22-year old 2009 US Open Champ Juan Martin del Potro! The two men started out taking the Centre Court
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge... wow!crowd, which included the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to a tense atmosphere right away! Big points were played from the beginning, and even bigger serves were issued from the racquets of the two power hitters! Rafa showed off surprising volleys, which are brilliant, too. Both men were dissipating the tension by taking a long time in-between points (both averaging 26 sec). At 4-4 on Rafa’s serve and at 15-0, the chair umpire, Carlos Ramos, warned him for exceeding the max 25 sec in-between points service time, and the Majorcan warrior was, of course, pissed... and protested heatedly. His annoyance was not helped by del Potro’s reminding the umpire about taking a point from Nadal, which made the defending champ fumed... and he retaliated with an ace! WAR!!

At 5-5 and 30-30 on Rafa’s serve in the first set, a HUGE point was played won by del Potro – break point for del Potro, which sent the crowd surging to an appreciative clap! And then, Nadal regrouped... an awesome passing
Rafa Nadal, needed more than just brilliance
to go through... he had to "sacrifice" a foot. :(shot here, a hot volley there, and he moved on to 6-5! On del Potro’s serve... the big Argentine was moving slow and tentative, even if he won the first point – via a fantastic winner! Nadal retaliated with a brilliant passing shot! Wow! And then they went seesaw on points – fantastic point, each time... del Potro held, 6-6! And then Nadal, typically, called for a trainer... his left ankle hurt (or foot, was it?) – from a big point he played, which happened to be a game point. Of course! Haven’t we seen this before in his third round match with Gilles Muller... and in many other occasions in the past? That's just the way he plays - he kills himself. Tsk! Del Potro protested the game delay, which was reasonable as far as rules were concerned. Hey, the Matador is defending his crown here, let’s be patient, OK? :) The tie break was painful to watch as Rafa Nadal pushed his left ankle (or was it his foot?) to severe punishments, del Potro going ahead 3-0. Oh, dear... But del Potro has been making unforced errors... 3-3 – shame! At 5-5, Nadal missed a forehand, and he grimaced in pain – around his ankle and the way he couldn’t control the ball via impaired ankle. Oh, gosh.... And then, Nadal powered his shots through the complacent Argentine... and took the set, 7(7)-6(5)! Vamos!

The second set was a display of brilliance from the two men - too awesome! And then, at 4-3 for Del Potro on Rafa's serve, something big happened: a break of serve - first in the match! Del Potro howled! And
Juan Martin del Potro, the big
and hard-hitting Argentine is a
formidable competitor. then he went on to win the set with a fantastic serve-and-volley and a great dropshot - awesome! :)

Nadal opened the third set... more fiery shots! At 2-2, on Nadal's serve, he double-faulted! Just an indication of the killer heat in Centre Court... and then he returned with a beautifully set game, finished with a smash and an applaud from del Potro! Next point, del Potro went down, holding on to the side of his stomach... and a trainer was called in - 15-minute injury break. The game resumed... both men held serves. Nadal shaking head over how long del Potro taking time in between points - so, the Matador met his match, huh? ;) They slugged it out, both holding serves... and took the third set of their WAR to a tie break - once again! Rafa won it... vamos!

After more than three hours, the drama continued in the fourth set... both men holding serves at 2-2. And then, at 30-40 on del Potro's serve, the Argentine served and followed up with a half-hearted shot, which Nadal punished to a terrific winner - break of serve!! And then there were brilliant rallies and mini-rallies - too good! Holding serve, the Argentine brought the set to 5-4 in favor of Nadal... and on Nadal's serve, the epic war ended with the defending Champ claiming a spectacular victory! Whew!

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El Maestro was pushed... and he pushed back - hard!

There is no way one could ever discount the do-or-die Russian player, Mikhail Youzhny. And now that he is in-form, his middle name might
El Maestro, into the
quarter-finals.as well have been the celebratory "C'mon"... regardless of the legendary Roger Federer on the other side of the net at Court No. 1! :) The Russian pushed hard, taking the Swiss Maestro to tie break in the first set of their match where the determined Russian prevailed. But RF was not going to be derailed... he pushed back and claimed the second and third sets. Youzhny hanged on to dear life in the third set... but RF prevailed. The Russian proving his staying power at 5-3 in the fourth set to RF, and 15-40 on Youzhny's serve, the Russian climbed his way up to survival for a deuce and then going up before RF bringing the game back to deuce... and then a repeat of the deuce-and-then-up before the Russian double faulted - back to deuce! Another Russian double fault gave RF a matchpoint, which he completed to a win! El Maestro is through to the quarter-final - nice! :) He will face the on-a-roll Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who earlier put away David Ferrer in their own fourth round match. Oh... :(

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Sweet bits of grass delight

Sabine Lisicki, the wild card who downed the 2011 Roland Garros Champ from China, Li Na, in the second round, lived up to expectations. She moved on to the quater-finals to face Serena Williams' conqueror, Marion Bartoli. Maria Sharapova, who has been looking quite good, screamed (and incredibly and super-annoyingly loudly, too! Dang!)her way to the quarter-finals against Shuai Peng of China. She will face the fiery "little one", Cibulkova. I heard that Andy Murray was through to the quarters, having downed Richard Gasquet in straight sets with Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in the audience... okay, fine. Didn't see him though. Tomas Berdych was routed by the American, Mardy Fish, in a surprising less than stellar performance by the Czech... then again, maybe Fish just played stellar!

Can't wait for the quarter-finals! Uhmm... of course there's (huge) work to do though!

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Photo credits: All photos were grabbed from the Zimbio websites - thanks.

All-day Monday...

...because I'm back in the grind!
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by Philipina A. Marcelo


Once again, doing that thing I (usually) do (for a living) with enjoyment, acute fascination, and severe passion...

...and yet, I wish there was time to write about Wimbledon... the fantastic way by which Roger Federer ousted old nemesis,
El Maestro, through to
the Round of 16.David Nalbandian of Argentina, from the Championships in SW19... the nerve-wracking way by which the defending Champ Rafa Nadal had to dig deep to push through to the Round of 16 via a hard-fought straight sets victory over Gilles Muller in their two-day rain-delayed third-round match... the way 2010 Roland Garros Champ Francesca Schiavone was sent out of the Championships by the unseeded Austrian, Tamira Paszek, in an epic third-round battle (3-6, 6-4, 11-9) that showed off their very best grass tennis - truly engaging! The way the hard-hitting Argentine warrior Juan Martin del Potro just barely edged off the brilliant Frenchman Gilles Simon last Friday, 7(10)-6(8), 7(7)-6(5), 7-5, to book a place opposite Rafa Nadal in a Round of 16 WAR today... the distasteful way by which Novak Djokovic
An "ugly win" for Novak Djokovic
in a beautiful third round
showing by Marcos Baghdatis.lost his cool (as in his old, immature days) while he figured out a way to prevail over the upbeat and crowd favorite Cypriot, Marcos Baghdatis, who pushed the annoyed Serb to an exciting four-set duel... how the #5 in the World Robin Soderling ran out of gas to manage another escape from the fiery attacks of yet another Aussie, Bernard Tomic, and exited the Championships disappointingly... the same goes in the case of the lady who has been attempting a return to the Top 10 limelight, Ana Ivanovic.

Oh, well...

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Sunday foodie...

...two very important events for Filipino food scientists and foodies.
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by Philipina A. Marcelo

The Philippine Association of Food Technologists (PAFT), Inc. will be holding its 50th Annual National Convention on July 6-8 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. The event will be held together with the first ever Food Ingredients Philippines Trade Show.

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Saturday photo

One of a kind...

I took this photo at my friends' garden in Ithaca, NY back in the summer of 2007. My mind was "bleeding" from writing my dissertation... I looked out of the window to relax my mind and saw this. My point-and-shoot ran out of battery, so I used my old Canon EOS Rebel 2000 Film SLR - yes, the "classic, old fashioned" kind (translation: not digital). Hehe... I was very disappointed when I saw that the film didn't develop nicely... but my scanner did what it could. Nevertheless, I'm happy with the "scene", and the warm memories that it brought back. :)

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Red hot in white on green...

...in the All England Club!
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by Philipina A. Marcelo


There's serious work, of course... but there's also serious play - courtesy of Wimbledon!

Just three weeks after my Knights' successful negotiation with the "hooded one" for my "visa extension" in this "valley of tears", I'm just very thankful to be back in the swing of things at España Blvd. While I'm only about 70% fine, all at once, busy, busy, busy is the story of my life again... but I'm not complaining. After all, I imagine it's a (big) "clause" in the negotiation "agreement": I'd get an "extension", I'd use my time productively... not that I haven't been trying to do exactly that. But it's a fair enough "clause"... therefore, I'm just very happy to comply. :) However, no matter the level of "busyness", there's always time to enjoy the fabulous tennis on display at the 2011 Championships, Wimbledon. I have to make time... it's a part of the "negotiation", too, you know. ;)

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First and second rounds roundabout...

So, the Big Four in men's tennis are once again parading their tennis hotness... with the other men close "behind them" making the "grass show" at SW19 all the more alluring. And yes, there had been a number of well-documented baring of chest and abs on court, too, among the beautiful men, which received a lot of ooohs and aaahs from the smitten crowd. :) And from the looks of it, unlike in football world, I don't think the officials of tennis are about to outlaw such acts. Uhmm, nah, not complaining - never! ;)

The first round was full of heart-stopping "scares". The defending
Rafa Nadal, having fun? Champion, Rafael Nadal, was broken in the first set by USA's Michael Russel in their first round match on Day 1, going down to 0-2. Of course, after that first round scare courtesy of John Isner in Roland Garros, this was kind of unbearable - emotionally unacceptable! I had to give up my lecture slides preparation for a bit to pay close attention. But the World No. 1 recovered fast, re-calibrated his game to beat the American, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. I was too tired to stay up all night on Day 3 to see him take care of another American, Ryan Sweeting, in the second round. But I had just enough viewing time to notice that while he still glared a lot on court like the hot Spanish Matador that he is, he had been more than generous in flashing his charming Mallorcan smile in the first and second rounds - sweet! Purr.... :)

Roger Federer walked into Centre Court for his first-round match with Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin with the "gentleman of distinction" swagger that only he can carry without looking in-your-face arrogant - I think it's called "elegance". He seemed very aware of the admiring smiles all around him, obviously still conveying their appreciation of his good run in Roland Garros... and hoping he'd exceed his performance in the City of Lights at the All
The Swiss Maestro, en concieto.England Club. The Swiss Maestro most graciously returned the open admiration with an awesome grass repertoire: beautiful full-body lift for right-on-the-tee serves, full-body twist in mid-air for a blistering forehand down the line, full stretch of the sexy chest with a twist of the torso and a graceful bending of the knees to issue a precise one-handed backhand, brilliantly executed serve-and-volley, graceful groundstrokes that earned breathtaking winners... too beautiful! Undeterred, Kukushkin pushed El Maestro to earn his swagger to a tie break in the first set... kinda scary. But RF was not about to be robbed of "his moment", and went on to beat the Kazakh, 7(7)-6(2), 6-4, 6-2. While I enjoyed the match... I felt there was a bit too much of the RF awagger though as he went deep into the match... and I'm not liking it too much. He'd better concentrate on his game more, I think. Then again, it's his opening match... he's allowed a little All England "grass flirting". :) He was more of his serene and focused self in his second round straight sets victory, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, over Adrian Mannarino of France, which was good. And he was fantastic to watch, of course! He will face the dangerous Argentine, David Nalbandian, in the third round. And the uphill climb begins....

No. 2 in the World Novak Djokovic has been winning clinically as he resumes his phenomenal 2011 run, suffering a hitch only from that
Novak Djokovic, look-at-me, look-at-me!derailment courtesy of RF in Roland Garros. He dismissed Jeremy Chardy of France via a convincing 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 win in no more than 80 minutes in the first round. He followed that up with another clinical straight sets win over Kevin Anderson of South Africa, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. He's living up to expectations, that's for sure. However, somewhat like RF, he's been walking with swagger, too. His is a bit overdone though... and there are some of those tell-tale signs of ego-swell with a "look-at-me, look-at-me" show on court that I can surely do without. As if the whole tennis planet's attention wasn't enough! Ugh! Then again, who am I to judge? Nobody, I guess... it's just that I prefer The Djoker in the brilliant Djokovic.

British Numero Uno, Andy Murray, scared the hell out of me in his first-round match with Spain's Daniel Gimeno-Traver. The
Andy Murray, British #1.
Aaaw-wooo... Scot looked red hot as he started his SW19 campaign... until he was broken, and lost the first set, 4-6! Into the second set, he was looking vulnerable - again! Dang! I had to make tea in the middle of the night to force butterflies in my stomach to settle down! But he prevailed... 6-3. And then, he realized that he had a "mission" to fulfill in SW19... he then gripped his racquet with a steel determination and downed the Spaniard, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-0! Of course, he growled in the end! Aawww-wooo! His second-round match with Tobias Kamke of Germany was less tense, winning it in straight sets... and I hope it stays like that for him for the rest of the tournament... except that he's in the same half of the draw as Rafa Nadal! Aaaawww...

Of course, I've been watching Robin Soderling, too. It scared me
Robin Soderling escapes!silly, too, to see him being pushed to four sets by the German, Philipp Petzschner, losing the third set, and going on a heart-stopping tie break in the fourth! He won, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 7(7)-6(5). As if that wasn't enough, the Swede had to dig deep in his shots kit to prevail in his second-round confrontation with former No. 1 in the World and 2002 Wimbledon Champ, the Aussie Lleyton Hewitt in the second round. I was torn, of course, because I like both men! I was glad to see Hewitt finally broke through his bout with injuries and arrive
Lleyton Hewitt, nice try. healthy in SW19 this season... but I couldn't completely celebrate as I watched him kill Soderling's "programmed game" in the first and second sets! Hewitt, brought his champion caliber game to Soderling, displayed fantastic moves that shook Soderling some... and more! But the Swede re-grouped... concentrated in winning points - one at a time - to re-emerge from a two-set deficit to go even in the fourth. He barely edged the passionate Aussie in a heart-thumping five-set battle, 6(5)-7(7), 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4. Whew, too hot!

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Bits and pieces of awesomeness...

Speaking of "scares", Roland Garros 2011 finalist and 2010 Champ, Italian Francesca Schiavone, made me sit up as she battled
Dokic & Schiavone, tight match!Australia's Jelena Dokic in a three-set first-round thriller! I couldn't make up my mind between the two ladies as I like Dokic, too. To be honest, I think the former Juniors World No. 1 Dokic was shooting the more outstanding winners - such a natural talent... but she looked rusty and "too heavy" to effect her former top caliber moves. She has been in and out of the tour due to various reasons... and it's a pity how her natural talents are being put to waste... I'm glad she's back, but Schiavone was too much of a wild force for her to tame. Maybe next time....

Of course, the big Argentine, Juan Martin del Potro, is making his presence felt once again with his booming shots! But I have been too busy to include his matches in my limited "relaxation time". Caught a few of his big shots though - whew, frightening! He just set up a third-round match-up with the brilliant Frenchman, Gilles Simon! Dang, how exciting is that! For sure, that's a must-see match... and it's going to be one of my priority matches in the third round! :)

Serena Williams has been moving beautifully on court. She's
Serena Williams, too good!playing a perfect game so far - fast, powerful shots, nicely put games for impressive winners. But then again, it's Serena. What else can be expected? She's too good, it's almost boring! Venus Williams, on the other hand, is painful to watch in her yet again trying-hard-to-wow outfit. Sorry, I know she's a great champ, and I like her personality... but that's exactly the point - she plays brilliant tennis, she doesn't have to try too hard to wow!

Ana Ivanovic is looking like she's on the right track... and I'm so
Ana Ivanovic, getting there.glad. I'd really like this former No. 1 in the World Serb to regain her great form and her Top 10 status. She's one of those great ambassadresses of tennis - very talented, and with a wonderful personality, too. She's through to the third round! Yaay! :)

The French Showman, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, once again wowed the crowd with his emphatic second round four-set win over Gregor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, 6(4)-7(7), 6-4, 6-4, 7(10)-6(8) - very exciting and emotionally charged match. Tomas Berdych is flying under the radar, gliding from one round to the other without hitches. I haven't seen David Ferrer in action, but he seem to be doing fine, playing the second round now with American, Ryan Harrison. I'm hoping to see Julia Goerges of Germany in action, too. She's through to the third round - good. I've yet to see Maria Sharapova's outfit... okay, and her, too. :) I'm not too excited to see Caroline Wozniacki in action though... could this be "the one" for her? I wish her luck... I'm serious! :)

***
And then the upsets...

While Robin Soderling marginally escaped a second round upset as Lleyton
Sabine Lisicki, sweet
victory!Hewitt faltered on critical points in their match, the 2011 French Open Champ, Li Na, was not as lucky. She was ousted by the wild card Sabine Lisicki of Germany in a truly fantastic second-round match that turned out to be the biggest upset so far! The 21-year old German had an answer to all the great shots thrown at her by China's No. 1. Li Na's usually unruffled faҫade was visibly shaken and in distress as the German assaulted her with big forehand shots send in winners and sprinted blindingly fast, covering the court easily, to save points! The high intensity of the match and her dramatic win, 3-6, 6-4, 8-6, sent Lisicki to her knees as she shook from tears of joy. Great match!

Seeded #13, Viktor Troicki of Serbia - the man who pushed Andy Murray to his limit in Roland Garros, was sent packing by Taipe's aggressive Yen-Shun Lu in a straight sets second round victory. Another high-quality match right there. #20 seed, Florian Meyer of Germany, suffered a second round ouster from the hands of unseeded Xavier Malisse of Belgium. Fernando Verdasco of Spain, a former Top 10 player and now seeded #21, exited in the second round after a four-set upset in the hands of Robin Haase of the Netherlands. Verdasco is slowly slipping down in the ranking - pity.


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Photo credits: All photos were grabbed from the Zimbio website - thanks!

Wednesday nostalgia...

...the tranquility of twilight.
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by Philipina A. Marcelo


In October of last year, my family celebrated the 75h birthday of my uncle - my father's older brother and his only surviving sibling. There were 14 of them (yes, 14!), and the two of them are the youngest. Many of their siblings didn't survive World War II. Those who did mostly passed away when my uncle and father were both very young and still unmarried. The picture below shows one of those rare moments these days when the "old brothers" are in a picture together.

Like our family's own Federer and Nadal of the old days, my uncle (left)
and my father (right). :)

Back in the '70's, when my siblings and I were very little, we moved to Manila and lived in one big house with my uncle's small family, and our widowed grandmother (my father and uncle's mother)... and everyday was a party! :) And then, when my siblings and I were moving to our tween years, our families lived in separate houses... but the party continued! :) Once a hyper life-of-the-party, my uncle now has become more and more content staying home in quiet contemplation of his "twilight days", rarely joining family gatherings anymore. While my father is more active in family gatherings, that's mostly all the socialization he has these days.

My uncle and my father have always been tennis enthusiasts - they still are. When we were little, on Wimbledon fortnight, they used to get us all kids finish our school homeworks on Saturday mornings and to go to church early on Sundays so we could catch the live telecast of the matches in the afternoon, after our nap, and in the early evening... especially the women's and men's final. :) We were Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert fans, and we adored Bjorn Borg and Martina Navratilova, too! :) Weekends were usually spent playing table tennis or badminton at home among my siblings, my cousin (the only daughter of my uncle's) and I... and the "old brothers" were always in the "championship match" - complete with their white tennis "short shorts" of the old days! :)

While my father is not into musical/dance shows, my uncle used to get us kids to watch and appreciate the wholesome Osmond brother-sister duo
The original Charlie's Angels:
Jaclyn Smith, Farrah Fawcett
and Kate Jackson.in "The Donny and Marie Show", the talented teenagers Sharon Cuneta and Jackie Lou Blanco in the weekend German Moreno show, "Germspecial", and to let Denny Terio teach us how to dance in "Dance Fever". They educated us girls about women empowerment and being street smart through "Charlie's Angels", and to be good girls as exemplified by Janice De Belen in "Flordeluna" and the late Julie Vega in "Anna Liza". They'd both look the other way while we girls giggled, screamed and hyperventilated over the incredible extreme cuteness that was Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson in "Hardy Boys"... for as long as we learned the values of close family ties by watching "Little House on the Prairie". :) They also brought to life our charitable side by encouraging
Cuteness! Shaun Cassidy and
Parker Stevenson in "Hardy Boys". us to share our weekend merienda with the gentle old lady and her shy grandkids who walked our village to sell fresh fruits for a living.

Hmmm... those were the days! It's funny how my siblings, my cousin and I used to frown at the encouragement of my uncle and my father to pay attention and appreciate all sorts of good things around us. But as we grew older and now being the "encouragement monsters" to the younger generation in our family, we are thankful that the "old brothers" did open us up to such wonderful learning experiences when we were very little. They are not only a foundation of great personal dimensions but also a source of warm memories. :) No wonder that these days, the brothers are just happily breathing tranquility as they savor the warmth of their twilight years.

Like the "old brothers", I hope to breathe and savor tranquility, too, in my twilight years.... In the meantime, there simply is so much to celebrate and to be merry about! :)

A belated happy Father's Day to my father and uncle!! :)

***

Wimbledon!

"And the world makes sense again!" :)
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by Philipina A. Marcelo


Hmmm... as I prepare to go back to "serious work", it frustrates me that I can't seem to push my throat to high gear. :(

Good teaching is all about effective communication. It's about the art of stringing pieces of well-known information together in a fluid narrative, defined by coherence, punctuated by important concepts that are tossed in at the right places... to capture the students' interest, and build their confidence as they allow themselves to be led and go deep into the womb of the narrative. As the story is weaved, a few new things are thrown in here and there to titillate the students' curiosity, pieces of information are withheld in strategic places to challenge students to fill in the gaps... all the time building some suspense... until the students' curiousity is about to burst at the seams, aching to find out if their guesses and deductions were correct... and then you deliver the "punchline" - new pieces of information that fill some critical gaps in the narrative. As you watch the students' faces light up, you know you've accomplished the day's task. A big sigh of relief... and pleasure! :)

But all this has to do with the teacher's voice... and the manner by which the voice is maneuvered as the narrative slows down, takes sharp turns, speeds up, and rises to the climax of the lecture. My voice isn't 100% back yet... and I have difficulty maneuvering whatever "little voice" I have gained so far despite the great help I'm getting from my Knights. While I know that it's only been 18 days, and it's way too early to expect 100% recovery, I hate to disappoint my students. And so, I'm feeling blue... and the rain isn't helping either. :(

But it's June 20! It's the beginning of the Wimbledon Championships fortnight! It's the beginning of the most prestigious of them Grand Slams (at least, for me)... played on sentimental tennis fans' most revered surface, that one on which tennis was first played - grass! Hmmm... the world makes sense again! Yaaay!

***
Tennis hotness

So, it's game on over at the All England Club! O, ya! :)

And what's hot? It's the gentlemen's singles, of course! With the Top 4 men in the rankings filling out the big stage in the semi-finals at Roland Garros just two weeks ago, there is every reason to expect that the grass of Wimbledon is going to be a fierce hunting ground for silverwares in the next fortnight. Even the legendary grass court specialist, Pete Sampras, could not resist giving his take on the matter of the Wimbledon run of the "Big Four". Then again, which tennis fan could resist speculating?

After the excitement left by the Nadal-Federer championship in Roland Garros, the men's draw is expected to sizzle under the moody London
Rafa Nadal, the defending champ.clouds. Having captured his 10th "big one", and his sixth Coupe des Mousquetaires in the City of Lights to step on the same ledge of Clay Greatness with Bjorn Borg, No. 1 in the World and defending champ Rafael Nadal gets to SW19 once again with an air of invincibility about him. While the 25-year old Spanish Matador continues to downplay his phenomenal achievements, it would be foolish to doubt his capability and determination to defend his title - right down to the wire - as always!

Roger Federer - he who has the most number of "big ones" in the history of men's tennis - on the other hand, continues to baffle sports
Roger Federer, rendezvous
with history?analysts. With his unrelenting genius that sparked brilliantly again in Paris after less than impressive runs in Madrid and Rome, battling old rival Nadal in the final, he left many naysayers openmouthed - yet again - not knowing which stage to put him now in his brilliant career. Is he nearing the end? Did he just mount his second wave of men's tennis domination? Just like in 2003, when SW19 revealed its precious historical find in this sublime genius of Switzerland when the tennis world was hungry for one, the All England Club seems to possess the answer to these questions again. And, whatever the answer is, it's going to be totally fantastic to once again savour El Maestro's mesmerizing grass repertoire - that's for sure!

The ball of fire Novak Djokovic, who came to Roland Garros as the man to watch, threatening to snatch the #1 spot in men's ranking from Nadal, and poised to make history to become the man with the longest
Novak Djokovic, resuming an
exhilarating run.winning streak, fell short only in the semis in Roland Garros against the Swiss Maestro. But with his 41 string of straight wins in the 2011 season, before falling in the hands of Federer, the No. 2 in the World Serb was only one win short of equalling John McEnroe's record of 42. While The Djoker ran out of steam to complete a demolition mission in the City of Lights, he comes to SW19 with another lethal threat to edge Nadal from the #1 spot. And so, we await as he continues his exhilarating run this season at the All England Club... and quite trembling, too - in excitement!

And then there's that fine lad who continues to stand and run around the peripheries of Greatness, just behind Nadal, Djokovic and Federer - the British No. 1, Andy Murray. Hmmm... will the 2011 SW19 major stop be the MAJOR point in Murray's career? Thinking - deep - to
Andy Murray, the man with
a mission. answer this question gets me a little bit emotional, to be honest. Because, how many times... just how many times should one try, and just how hard, until the elusive goal finally surrenders to captivity? Like I said before, Andy Murray does not lack talent - that's for sure! His shots kit is comparable with the rest of the Big Four. He just needs a more compelling reason, a real meaningful one to propel him past those three in front of him... and finally win a Grand Slam! Perhaps, he shouldn't "chase" it... perhaps, he should strive to tame it instead, so it comes to him. And to tame it, he should believe - and stay faithful, like his Mum - that he can do it! That's how Federer and Nadal, and later Djokovic, did it. Andy Murray shouldn't think about the rank, or just how many world records does the guy on the other side of the net hold. He should focus on playing each point - on his term... and winning it, one by one. I really want to see him win a Grand Slam soon! How soon? Very soon!

So there. Four men... and many others (Robin Soderling, David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych, Gilles Simon and Juan Martin del Potro just to name a few) - all oozing awesomeness! Whew! Sweet, so sweet, this Wimbledon affair!

***
My "grass money"

So, how am I playing my "grass money"? I'm putting it on the Swiss Maestro! All Big Four and their exciting reasons for winning are worth rooting for. And then, the "other men" who have made the runs of the Big Four some staggeringly perilous battles are also worth a second thought. But RF exceeded all expectations in Roland Garros two weeks ago, and clay is his least favorite surface. Grass is his favorite surface... and the grass of Wimbledon is special to him. Roger Federer, with all his genius and incredible talent, is a sentimental guy - he understands "special". With a seventh Wimbledon title, he'd tie Pete Sampras's record, and perhaps cement his hold on the record of the most number of Grand Slam titles in the history of men's tennis. That would give him a compelling claim on the Greatest of All Times... and a compelling reason to aim for victory in SW19. Now, if he could only forget about the "big one" in the meantime, and concentrate on winning every single point on court with steel resolve, it would be great. In any case, history beckons... and where else is most appropriate to re-write history but in the All England Club of Wimbledon?

***
Oh, and there's more...

As for the women's draw....

OK, history seemed to have closed its doors on the glamorous but inconsistent women of tennis these days. Aaah, if only Justine Henin was around, or Kim Clijsters was fit to compete, or Amelie Mauresmo was still interested to come to the party... wishful thinking.

Well, there's 2011 French Open champ Li Na - there, that's something... and Serena Williams is back - uhm, so? *yawn* Well, she's in the same quarter of the draw as Li Na - ok, sounds like fun. Admittedly, I'm interested to find out if Samantha Stosurs would finally conquer her nerves, rake up enough aggression and passion, to allow her talents to dominate her game instead. *sigh* Maria Sharapova is looking all-determined for some grassy affair-to-remember - loudly, I suppose... but I wonder how Nike's dressing her up for the occasion. *yawn* And, of course, there's the No. 1 in the World Caroline Wozniacki... that's it, I'm taking a nap! ;)

***
Photo credits: All photos, except the first one (mine), were grabbed from the Wimbledon website - thanks.

Happy Father's Day!

No gifts, just memories.
==================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


I do not have a gift for my father this Father's Day. :( He did say something about "lasting gift" when he travelled to Ithaca, New York to attend my graduation
The wind beneath my wings...in Cornell University four years ago. :) Although I thought he was just being 'melodramatic' about it, now that I'm held up and unable to get something for him, I am taking him up for that "lasting gift" proposition. ;) But I do wish him more wonderful years of contentment, peace, love and joy of a father. May our good Lord continue to shower him with more blessings and bountiful reasons to keep celebrating life!

To all the cool and wonderful fathers out there, happy Father's Day! :)

***

Sunday foodie...

...and the eating goes on!
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


Okay, I'm cheating. :) This entry should have been posted about a couple of months ago... but I have been too lazy to upload photos from my camera to my computer - to my nieces and nephew's disappointment! Aaaw, sorry, guys! :) But they know me... I'm almost always late on stuff like this. But, hey, I always come through - if people were patient enough to wait! :) Besides, this entry coincidentally fits what the Philippines is celebrating today: our National Hero's Day - Jose Rizal's Day.

After my nephew Miguel (or Miggy) learned that he passed his High School entrance exams, he wanted to celebrate! He and his sisters, Poala and Myka, went to check out the results with him. As their parents were at work, and it was still summer vacation then (see? very late, right?), of course, the "idle aunt" was the self-appointed celebration chaperone! :) As usual... food trip for us! :)

While their taste palates are "well-exercised" being such food lovers, these kids can also be "easy"... easy to please! For Myka and Miggy, for as long as there's chicken, they're good! :) And when chicken is involved, there's one place that comes to mind: "K.K.K.", where the chicken is cooked in various Pinoy na Pinoy styles! And everything is reasonably priced as well... so, for people like us who "enjoy food to the max", K.K.K. is a 2go2 place. And today, something Filipino is also apt since it's Rizal's Day. :)

From the banga (clay pot) plant holders and the hardwood benches at the receiving area that usually adorn old Philippine villas, to the rice straw ceiling accents, the ambiance in the restaurant was very Filipino. The menu

KKK kids...design was "fun" as well... their poultry choices, for instance were dubbed "sa pula, sa puti" (or, "for the red rooster, for the white rooster") and their beef dishes were dubbed "maki-baka" (or, "struggle" - the battlecry of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution heroes). This of course, gave me the opportunity to educate the kids about Pinoy old past-times, like sabong (cockfight), and some first-hand account of the EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986, while we were waiting for our food to be served. :) See, I like these types of restaurants that are creative, not only in the dishes they served, but also in small details in their services.

As expected, Miggy chose the "fried chicken ng KKK", which came with three sauces, one of which Miggy thinks "special" (soy sauce, delicately sweetened and given a mild "kick" to mask the fermented note) and he so loved it. In fact, the next time he stayed the weekend with us at home, he requested me to try to immitate the sauce... which I did to only a dismal success - the fine tuning was hard! :) Beaten by Miggy in the fried chicken race, Myka chose the "chicken barbecue" cooked in a truly delicious sweetish marinade and garnished with crunchy greens and pickled green papaya. Poala, quite conscious of her figure now that she's reached 20 years,
Bibingka specialordered the light noodle merienda, pancit palabok. It's a rice noodle dish, topped with rich shrimp sauce, thin slices of hardboiled egg, a dust of ground chicharron (pork rind), and chopped scallions. And I chose a mouthwatering merienda: bibingka espesyal, which is a rice cake baked with rice flour and coconut milk. :) It was baked with a generous amount of white cheese on top, which together with slices of century egg, contrasted nicely with the sweet and rich rice base of the bibingka. When it was being brought to us, the sweet smell of burnt banana leaves with which the earthen baking ware used to bake the bibingka was lined, filled our nostrils - very enticing. After sprinkling the top with a mixture of brown sugar and browned grated coconut meat, I ate a slice of the warm fluffy delight... aaaaah, heaven! It went very nicely with my samalamig - a cold beverage with tapioca pearls and gelatine bits, flavored with vanilla.

We left the restaurant very satisfied... and we went to shop for new swim wears for the kids. I told you, it was still summer! :)

***
Hey, I'm being good!

Back to the future. I don't know what I've posted here that alarmed some of my friends. I think that because I've not been talking
I've been good... and here's Exhibit #1. :)fruits and veggies lately, they've been getting the impression that I've not been eating "properly". And they feel that it's irresponsible, considering that I'm still recuperating from a recent "close encounter" with the "hooded one". :) But, of course, my Knights in Whites shooed it away with a stroke of the scalpel... and negotiated some more years for me to enjoy watching footie and tennis... and the beautiful men who play them. Yowzer! ;) OK, I admit, I'm being silly. ;) But, in all seriousness, for the said friends' peace of mind, I've been as good as Bugs Bunny, and my fruit tray is full... and constantly replenished, too. :)

***
Photo credits: I own all photos.

Saturday photo

Lovely women...

In January 2003, I traveled to India with 36 fantastic people (professors, grad and undergrad students, farmers' cooperative leaders in New York, and USDA personnel) and visited twelve different cities located in five different Indian States. We traveled by plane, bus, train and rickshaw (and a few times, on foot) to explore and learn in their farmlands and agri institutes, schools and universities, industrial and processing sites, marketplaces, technology centers and institutes, financial districts, restaurants and street foods alleys, shopping centers, temples, and various amazing centuries-old cultural sites... all in sixteen days! The trip was a part of my "International Agriculture" course requirements as a grad student at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Cornell University. It was one of the most unforgettable and life-changing experiences for me... and this photo of seven lovely tea pickers at the TATA Tea Estate in Munnar - a town of breathtaking beauty in the southern State of Kerala - is one of my treasures from that trip.

***

Wednesday nostalgia...

...living Mother's dream.
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by Philipina A. Marcelo


I've been rearranging and redecorating my bedroom... just to give some semblance of "newness" to it in keeping with my "a new life of celebration" agenda. While sorting old photos, I found this from more than 50 years ago...

It's a photo of my late mother's (second from right) from her college days. I think this was from her induction to her College's Honors Society. She was, I gathered, a very good student... and she dreamt about Fulbright scholarship then. But, of course, that dream never came to fruition because she had us - her six kids - instead, at a young age. And then she passed away at 48 years.

It was her dream - a beautiful dream... and I lived it. It hardly seemed fair. While I've always worked very hard and with real passion, and enjoyed my work tremendously as well, I never planned for Fulbright nor did I ever delude myself into believing that I'd ever deserve it - it arrived like an unexpected gift, and a truly incredible and exhilarating one at that. Had she lived to see my Fulbright stint, I'm sure my mother would have been very happy for me... as if her own dream had been fulfilled. :)

***

Sunday foodie...

...still celebrating!
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


Last week was a week of big miracles, and it continues this week! :) After our appointments with The Knights this week, all we received were good news... and a few words of caution, of course, to avoid hitches on my road to recovery. But I have learned to trust my Knights, and after last week, I know that everyday of my life is going to be a day
Em Em @ C2.of celebration! :) Therefore, this week is another week of celebration. And what's a celebration without some serious foodtrip? :)

This time, inspired by the celebration of Philippine Independence, my niece and I craved something Filipino... some classic Filipino Cuisine. And I know a great place: C2! :) There are two C's in C2... and they are "classic" and "cuisine"... and "Philippines" in between. Therefore, it fits the bill perfectly! Their menu boasts of old Filipino favorites with a touch of adventure - C2 style! :) Their menu includes vegetables (such as the awesome bulanglang and chicharon monggo at crispy paksiw), seafood (such as the finger-smacking good seafood inasal and crispy catfish), meat and poultry (such as the incredible chicken-pork adobo) - all guaranteed mouthwatering! Their all-day merienda (such as the souper molo), desserts (such as the C2 classic, bibingka soufflé) and beverages are also fantastic.

From the hospital, we went to check out the works of Filipino artists in an art gallery close to my home - in all my bandaged neck glory - with the hope of finding something to mark the occasion... that fits my budget. :)
Hot calamansi While we were entertained plenty by the wonderful Filipino ingenuity, I decided that I cannot afford anything there (hehe...), my niece and I decided to comfort ourselves with merienda or "snack" at C2. As it turned out, I was ready for merienda... but she wanted to eat something heavier... meaning, something with white rice! :)

I was advised to keep practicing my vocal chords, and I intended to follow "doctor's order". But I think I overdid it... with Jordin Sparks' "Tattoo"! :) My throat hurt a little bit... and so, I ordered a C2 "solution" for remedy: hot calamansi. I drank slowly. Then again, that's all the drinking speed my throat would allow me at the moment. It's not all that bad though... I just need to be patient. After finishing my hot calamansi, I felt wonderfully relieved... and I was ready for my merienda. :)

I ordered a childhood fave with a C2 twist to it: champorado at dilis! :) The menu description says, "chocolate rice pooridge drizzled with condensed milk served with crisp, boneless dried fish." I know, it sounded like a real "comfort food"! And, I prepared to be comforted.... When it arrived on our table, it did bring more positive feelings to my day! :) And when I scooped some of the warm champorado, my mouth watered! The chocolatey taste and the sweetness was just right, and the texture perfect. The very thin boneless dilis was so crunchy, it crumbled on the first bite and then seemed to melt in the mouth, leaving a faint saltiness that made me crave for another spoon of champorado each time. Perfect combination!

My niece opted for something quite exotic. At her age, and at the state of her metabolism and overall health, I fully encouraged her foodie adventure... with some words of caution, of course. :) And, she's R.N., so she knows better. She ordered the sinful binagoongang lechon kawali. The description on the menu says, "crispy liempo tossed with bagoong sauce served with grilled eggplant relish." I know, the description alone is guaranteed to make an authentic Pinoy's mouth to water. :) And when it arrived on our table... for the first time, I regretted the fact that the state of my health is such that my metabolism is bound to slow down considerably! Ugh! It looked delicious! And my niece allowed me to have a taste. While I think it was served with too generous amount of bagoong - the most alluring temptation for the hypertensive (haha...), and must therefore be used sparingly - the liempo (pork belly) was cooked to perfection! The meat was tender and the skin so incredibly crispy - a total mouth delight! But, to me, what made this dish a "winner" is the eggplant relish with grated green papaya and red bell pepper strips... the spirited vinegary taste (I suspect they used aged coconut vinegar fermented traditionally in bamboo casks) and some sweetness were combined beyond perfection - so delicious! And they effectively cut whatever fatty sensation left by the liempo, if at all.

We skipped dessert and opted to walk around, to hunt for back-to-school bargains (translation: shoes). :) As any time spent with members of my family, the good food, while an absolute delight, is just a plus. What is tastier and unequivocally much more delicious is the company... and the wonderful conversation and exchange of heartfelt adoration for each other. :) Hmmm... another perfect bonding time with one of my nieces! Heaven! :)

***
Photo credits: I own all photos.

Saturday photo

Ahead of her time...

I was vacationing in the Bay Area in CA last summer and stayed at a good friend's home. I was doing my morning stretches when I noticed this bunch of roses in various stages of bloom in the backyard. Luckily, my point-and-shoot was on hand. :)

***

A world of thanks...

...and a great hope for a wonderful future.
======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo


Like I said last Sunday, the past week had been a long one... long in silent hope for an affirmative answer for a prayed miracle. But God, indeed, is a merciful God, I didn't get just one awesome miracle, He showed me many! Today, I got another one to add to that amazing chain of miracles - a great result from my surgical pathology report: zero life threat! :) Therefore, this is a day of great joy, not only for myself but for all my loved ones as well! While I decided to keep my quest for a miracle "private" then, I would be a remiss now if I didn't express my gratitude to those who, together served as channel, through which God sent his incredible love and merciful miracles my way. I felt absolutely loved and will be forever grateful!

***
The Knights in white jackets

They wear white jackets rather than shining armors. But they are Knights - the gentle kind. They marched to big battles everyday... and they are relentless in conquering their enemy: illness... and sometimes death itself.

Last week, I entrusted my own life to a band of them "Knights in White", as I let them crush what was threatening to crush me and my
The University of Santo Tomas Hospitalfuture. I was confident that they will see me through it all, because they encouraged me to ask for help, and guidance for them, from Him - the One true and merciful God for whose amazing miracles and grace they valiantly fight... everyday.

It was a normal day for me... waking up early, eating breakfast, and then went through all my "usual" daily stuff, including writing an entry for this blog! :) But I had to make that "planned" trip to the UST hospital with my niece, who is a nurse and volunteered to accompany me - a true angel she is.

Because I love my freedom, I considered my stay in the hospital as a "detention", and my hospital room, my "detention cell". :) But even
My "detainee's kit". :) after a "name tag" was strapped around my right wrist, handed my detainee's kit, and showed to my "detention cell", everything still felt "normal" even when I knew that it was an "extra-ordinary" day. :) Even my vitals were normal as indicated by my initial check. My faith in God, the love from my family and good friends, and my confidence in my Knights lent me the steel courage to go through my "detention" period.

After about 24 hours since then, regaining consciousness in the Recovery Room, I realized that... I made it! I went through the surgery with my Knights in White and I made it back to life - a new life! Hopefully, a life with a healthier body. I then closed my eyes and uttered some heartfelt words of thanks to God. What I was feeling then was nothing short to truly incredible! :)

Another 48 hours and my fabulous Knights in White were satisfied at how I was healing. I knew that the road to recovery is long, but I was glad to be on track. As I listened to my Knights' positive assessment, I closed my eyes momentarily to whisper a small "thank you" to Him who sent these
Joy and salvation... just behind the clouds.wonderful people my way... and as I did so, I can feel the clouds dissipating from the sky above to allow the warmth of sunshine to touch my "detention cell"! Another 24 hours and I was headed home. I looked at my younger sister, and my niece who stayed with me the whole time, and I felt nothing but immeasurable love and gratitude for them! They were amazing! They, and my whole family who came to share my moments of pain and triumph over pain in those four challenging days, made me want to celebrate my "new life" all the more! :)

While I am aware that when human health problems are involved, no solution is absolutely permanent, I am certain that my Knights have just given me a lot of wonderful reasons to hope for great years ahead! Therefore, I hope for great years ahead! :)

***
Post script... a world of thanks!

You know what they say about friendship?

Well, time is immaterial in friendship. Sometimes, you are friends with people you've been with since childhood, and you stay friends for the rest of your lives... and that's wonderful! In other cases, you meet people for a short period time, and in most desperate moments, too... and they touch your life in the warmest possible ways! Those Knights in Whites in that old castle along España Blvd. - at the Pontifical University of Asia - are that kind of friends. I barely knew them, and yet they took care of me... as eager as my own family to bring relief when there was pain, and as happy as my family and I when pain was finally conquered. They inspired me to confront my illness. They educated me about my illness, which empowered me and gave me the confidence to conquer it! You know
Awesomeness!when people do this just because it was their job and they enjoyed the money... but you could also tell when they do this out of passion - the passion to help people... and the desire to serve God by serving others. My Knights are a bunch of the latter... and I feel truly fortunate to have them! :)

I know that the hand of God is in all of this... and yet, I feel truly indebted to my supercool and absolutely awesome otorhinolaryngologist (whew!)/surgeon, Raymond G. Belmonte, M.D., DPBO-HNS and my super intelligent and "rockstar" (very popular) of an endocrinologist/attending physician Sjoberg A. Kho, M.D., FPCP. I feel A WORLD OF THANKS for both of them... and to their wonderful mini-knights (a.k.a. residents and interns. Hehe...), and the gentle sub-knights (a.k.a. nurses) who worked with them, for helping me through my ordeal! I am also thankful to my anesthesiologist, the youthful and dynamic Dr. Sheri Ann Liquete, as well as the kind and humorous cardiologist, Dr. Rodelio S. De Sagun, who gave me my CP clearance with a seal of being a "medical bore" (o, yah!) and some words of wisdom on RH Bill. I am also thankful to the wonderful minions (a.k.a. office staffs) of Dr. Belmonte and Dr. Kho for all their personalized service and endearing sense of humor... and the UST Hospital Cashier and Philhealth staff for their efficiency and admirable work ethic that paying our bills was a breeze! :)

I wish all of them great things ahead, and an abundant source of passion to keep doing what they do! May our good Lord bless them and their loved ones always. :)

Thank you! Gracias! Tack! Grazie! Xièxiè! Arigatogozaimasu! Obrigado! Gràcies! Je vous remercie! Terima kasih! MARAMING SALAMAT! :)


***
Photo credit: The UST Hospital photo was grabbed from the UST Hospital website. - Thanks! All other photos are mine.