Techie Lola!

     My mom is a grandmother  to 16 kids .
     Years ago she hired someone to tutor her on computer basics and internet.
 Soon she had her own e mail address.

     With the influx of new cellphones and laptops she became more  internet savvy.

     My brother gave her an apple  ipad , her  "in thing" for a while until she got  hold of a samsung galaxy  which is her latest favorite.

     Now we call her "Techie Lola".

      The advent of facebook, you tube, skype and twitter  are enough to make her busy . She doesnt feel alone at night  anymore as long as there is internet connection at our old house. My siblings and I  are her tech support because sometimes she would accidentally change some settings and  not able to login.

      She knows how to google. On facebook she always "likes"the postings of her grandchildren and uploads old family pictures some of which I rather keep because I look awkward.  She's would even be the  first one to post pictures (ahead of us!)  on every occasion she attended or  whenever she meets famous personalities . She diligently answers all the messages of her cousins abroad and friends from all over.

                                  Mendoza clan during the first death anniversary of Papa


 Now we just dont talk about her  blood sugar level &  knee pain but also on the specs of the new  ipad2 and i phone 4.  Her grandkids look amazed when they saw her using a new gadget.

     Ive realized that even at the past prime of your years one can still learn something new . Im so proud of her for being brave enough trying to learn about internet  that persons of her age dread of.
Im also happy for her because she gets to experience how it feels that the world is in just one touch of her fingertips.

                                                    my sisters mafe, techie lola & thess

        I cant wait for her to be a blogger next time  : )

my advocate

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.  

A tree whose hungry mouth is press

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me     

But only God can make a tree.

                                                      ~Joyce Kilmer, "Trees," 1914


    
     One of the perks of running is I get to appreciate nature in its finest. The crowing of the rooster early in the morning saying its time to run or gentle breeze of air that cools me as I make my first step outside. Whenever I pass on farm full of trees it gives me the feeling of being so alive and full of life. The sight of an old tree with their leaves rumbling are like music to my ears. The birds chirping and playing on its branch are a delight to behold. 


     That is why it had been my advocate to plant a tree and encourage others to do the same. What a way to start than in my place of work. For the past two years I had been  giving  trees  to every newborn babies I delivered.

     I could see the curious smile of new moms with their babies as I hand them the seedlings of the tree.   I tell them to plant it with extra care so  the child and  the tree will grow old together for they symbolize LIFE. 


     I use to buy seedlings from a source in our province  but lately Ive been  giving out mahogany tree seedlings  fresh from  the nursery of  my mother as she is supporting me in this endeavor. Thanks mama!

  
    Giving out trees is  my way of giving back to nature for keeping me healthy all these years.

What are my goals in the future?

1.  Attend a runner's workshop or clinic so I can get pointers on how to run well so i can improve my PR time. Currently, my pr for 5K is 35 mins and for 10 K is 1:15 mins. I already did 10 5k's and 4 10k run. Im looking forward to a sub60 for my 10K .

2. Continue running at least 3x a week whether Im busy at the hospital or not.  There is no such thing as NO TIME or busy because If you are enjoying what you are doing, you will most likely find time to do it.  One thing that is good in running is that you can just run anywhere. When I dont feel like running in the street, I just do the treadmill at home.

3. Train with a  coach so I will know my strong and weak points. One is not too old to learn new things. I started running at age 43 and Im willing to learn more about this sport through a teacher. Yes, Ive read a lot of books and magazines about running but nothing beats the experienced of a teacher.

4. Encourage my husband and children to run with me.  I hope to share with them my new passion for this sport.  Whenever I attend a fun run in the city during weekend they usually come with me . They also do 5 K - 5 krispy kreme at the fort while waiting for me. Lately, they started joining the run. My only problem now is that after the run we usually go to Mercato Centralle or Legaspi Market where they eat a lot of their favorite meals. Their caloric intake is not always proportional to the ran they made that morning.

                                            my 3 jewels  rico, nica & rj

                                                      my youngest son RJ

                                                     my hubby Ricky

                                                     running alone...

5. Run my first marathon at the BDM as in  The Bull Runner Dream Marathon.  I hope Ill be chosen to train and be participant in this event so I can reach my ultimate goal...a full marathon.  I've read in one of the books that a runner at forty is better than a runner at her 20's because at forty a woman has reach a certain level of fulfillment in her family and career so she can focus on one thing whereas a woman in her twenties has a lot dreams and goals so her attention is divided.  When I was in my 20's I was focus on my residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology. When I was in my 30's it was a time for building my career and family.  At my age now, though Im busy with both, nothing beats a good run in the morning.

6. Run my next marathon in New York.

Running...my new passion.

Before I became a runner I was a bookworm. Maybe because of reading some sports magazine that I decided to give running a try. My kids used to say that after reading books, running is my new hobby and then what? They felt that its just a phase in my life just like collecting books that almost fill our library at home, its just my favorite at the moment.
But its been six months since I started running and I never looked back. Yes, I still love books but running gives me a different kind of satisfaction.  Running gives me a kind of high just like the feeling I get  whenever I tell a new father that his wife delivered a healthy baby .
I have joined several 5k runs every weekend since October 2010 and now I'm joining the 10k run almost every Sunday. My husband and my three kids accompany me every Sunday but they just run on the side. Our driver  who is also my cousin is my pacer during my run. Although I never had any coach  I'm planning to get one so I can improve my run.

Every weekend I join races making it a part of my training. Its a sacrifice to wake up at three in the morning going to the city but I'm not complaining because it is something I enjoy doing. I must be there at gun start.

I started this blog so I can monitor my progress in running and share my insights on this field. My work at the hospital is stressful as it is but is very fulfilling.  Just like the hobby that I've come to like now. Running is difficult but very rewarding.