WE BLINK AND JANUARY IS GONE. This new techno decade seems to be moving at hyperspeed, as we have hardly savored the pleasures of cool January nights when the month is suddenly over.

What better way to start the new month of the heart than with a visit from a cardiologist? In my case, my brother Andrew flew in from the US to make a ?house call.?

Actually, my multi-awarded doctor brother was here to give the keynote speech at the 10th National Annual Convention on Preventive Cardiology. Andrew was invited by Dr. Adolfo Bellosillo, president of the sponsoring Foundation for Lay Education on Heart Diseases, whose Board of Trustees includes such luminaries as chairman Joe Concepcion, Imelda Cojuangco, Johnny Litton, Nedy Tantoco, Nellie Bengzon, Dr. Norbert Uy, my mother Marixi Prieto and Foreign Secretary, Dr. Alberto Romulo.

It?s always a pleasure to listen to a sibling make a keynote speech, even though I was lost in the medical translation. As near as I could tell, Andrew talked about the advancement of cures for heart disease. His bottom line was easy enough to get?an ounce of prevention still beats a pound of cure.

I love it when speakers say it in plain English. Dr. Andrew explained how a healthy lifestyle with moderate consumption of alcohol is the key to a stronger heart. Among the usual bandits of heart disease, like genes, smoking and overeating, stress contributes to weakening the aging heart.

So this February, we should be focused on stress-busters. One way is to free our spirit from mental clutter. I had the chance to attend the informative talk by celebrated Kabbalist Yehuda Berg, and I was intrigued by our personal capacity to change ourselves and have a positive impact on the world around us.

Some of us wish we could be better parents, have stronger friendships, or find our soul mate. Others yearn for a bigger house, a more fulfilling job, or relief from financial burden and debts. No matter who we are, where we live, or what we have, there is almost always something in our life that we want to change. And?big surprise?we have the power!

Valentine concerts

The best stress-buster of all, for me, is music. And there are so many Valentine?s Day concerts to pick from this year.

For jazz enthusiasts, there is one paramount name?David Benoit. This jazz maestro has captured our hearts over the decades with hits like ?Key to You? and ?Land of the Loving.? Our very own Lea Salonga has her own version of the former in one of her albums.

David Benoit will perform at the PICC Plenary Hall on Feb. 11 in a special, one-night-only, pre-Valentine?s concert. The concert is produced by 106.7 Dream FM, Ambient Productions and Shindig Inc. For tickets, call TicketNet at 9115555, TicketWorld at 8919999, or better still, get VIP seats via the Dream Hotline at 8924216.

Two days after the Benoit show, on Feb. 13, the talented ladies collectively known as La Diva perform in their first Valentine concert, ?Intimately La Diva,? at One Esplanade, Mall of Asia Complex. For tickets, call Sunny Side Up Productions at 7267521.

The La Diva threesome all hail from Pinoy Pop Superstar. Jonalyn Viray was grand champion in 2004 and Maricris Garcia in 2006, while Aicelle Santos was runner-up in the intervening year. Mentored and trained by Danny Tan, directed by Louie Ignacio and styled by Pepsi Herrera, ?Intimately La Diva? promises to be a mind-blowing musical experience.

Art events

If music is not your ideal stress-buster, then consider an art show to soothe your heart. The Asian Cultural Council Art Auction is on Feb. 6, 4 p.m., at the Finale Art File on 2214 Chino Roces Avenue in Makati City. This year, among the rare works offered are those by renowned artists Arturo Luz, BenCab, Betsy Westendorp, Lao Lianben, Don Salubayba, Elmer Borlongan, Jon Santos, Wire Tuazon and others. Previews for the artworks start on Feb. 4 and the full catalogue is at www.asianculturalcouncil.org.

The ACC is composed of an art-loving group, including my good friends Rajo Laurel, Jon-jon Rufino and Malu Gamboa. Others in the Council are Ernest Escaler, Isabel Wilson, Maribel Ongpin, Karen Davila, Dr. Joven Cuanang, Ching Cruz and Louie Locsin. The group raises funds to give outstanding young artists the chance to learn from and be exposed to other artists in Asia and the United States.

Past grantees include Lucrecia Kasilag and Jose Maceda, who both became national artists for music; noted film auteur Tikoy Aguiluz; Jose Joya, national artist for visual arts; and Alice Reyes, founder of Ballet Philippines. The ACC has supported over 600 Asian and American artist scholars since its inception.

Art is an ideal stress-buster for me, as the range of what is artistic is so vast. I recently attended the book launch of ?Your Garden, Your Eden,? which is actually author Dolly Perez?s sequel to ?Home Haven Heaven.? Landscape architect Dolly shows us all how to find art in our own homes and gardens through her books.

?Your Garden, Your Eden? features 30 works by members of the Philippine Association of Landscape architects. The launch was attended by National Artist Napoleon Abueva, whose sculptural wooden bench graces the book?s cover. That?s as valid an imprimatur for an art book as any I can think of.

Feb. 14 is the peak of heart month, as it is both Valentine?s Day and the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Tiger will be a year of drama, intensity, change and travel. It won?t be a dull twelve months, as unfortunately, it is usually a year of world conflicts and disasters. It will also be a year of far-reaching changes, new inventions and technological advances.

For all of the Chinese horoscope signs, this year is one to be active?seizing opportunities and making the most of our personal and very individual talents. Everything happens quickly and dramatically in a Tiger year?blink and you could miss an important chance of a lifetime!

E-mail the author at seaprincess@inquirer.com.ph.