I Love Garlic...

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...and living in California. Don't you?

In other news, I got myself a second job working on a ship.

ROFLMAO!!!!!! I just had way too much fun in Vegas ;)

~Vet

Yes, I Think This Song Is About Me

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Okay, so I couldn't wait (^ ^)

~Vet

I'm Back!

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Hello, I'm back. And I'm really tired.

I got back into town yesterday afternoon, and went directly into the office. Sounds crappy, but it was all good, because I got to go home early today.

The flight into Vegas made me sick, but I recovered quickly. I was fine until we started circling for 30 minutes. My head did not like that. But once my feet were on the ground, my brain stopped spinning.

The conference was long, but interesting. I did not do very well sitting still. Being still is not one of my strong points. If you ask me, there were not enough breaks.

Mystere was... there are no words to do it justice, in my opinion. I highly recommend to see it if you can. Colors, music, movement... a feast for my senses. This is the circus I want to run away with. Had I known when I was a little girl that there would be Cirque du Soleil, I would have ditched music and my education and focused on dance. Hee-hee, I wouldn't even want to be an act, just one of the characters that dances around in the background in an awesome costume. Oh! This particular show incorporates taiko into the performance, so it was extra super awesome! Don't take my word for it, go and check it out yourself! I almost forgot, our seats were in the second row. Sweet.

I'll post pictures to my Flickr account soon. I have an nice new headshot should I care to venture into the meeting people online again. If you are one of my myspace friends, you can see it now.

Tomorrow I'm off to Gilroy. In August my cousin Tony is getting married, so some of us (family) are off to the outlet mall to look for dresses.

~Vet
"I am ready. The sky is not the limit."

Õ

Viva Las Vegas!

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Just a quickie post as I'm headed out the door.

I'm off to Las Vegas for a few days. It's work related, a national conference, but there will be plenty of time to play in the evening. One thing I'm really looking forward to is that a group of us will be seeing Cirque du Soleil while we are there. Mystere, to be exact. I'm totally jazzed about it.

So I will offline for a while. I'll be back on Friday. Hopefully I may have something interesting to say about the whole trip. But you know the rules...

Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!

~Vet

Reply Comment So Big, I'm Posting It

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To fully appreciate this post, I invite you to read my quote w/comments if you haven't already.

"Love bites, love bleeds
It's bringin' me to my knees
Love lives, love dies
It's no surprise
Love begs, love pleads
It's what I need"

Ahhhhhhh, Darren...Hawaii.... man, what a week. It's memories like those that made high school so awesome! There is still a little part of my brain that still can't believe he danced with me.

Sigh, I'm a hopeless romantic and the condition is terminal. I'm doomed ;)

It's funny though. Time and time has passed. I'm not in high school anymore, I'm 33 years old. I know he is married and probably has children now. I think he's somewhere in the Silicon Valley, and I have absolutely no desire to see him again. Let's be real, between you (Amy, Jenny, & Steve) and me, we all know he doesn't remember me.

BUT

There is still a small part of me that, in a way, is still in high school, and will always be in high school. It's that little part of me that holds ALL my high school memories. I still remember what I wore to school on my first day of 9th grade, I remember my statement of affirmation to Amy that started a friendship that has spanned 19 years and counting. I remember Steve's mustang, and Jenny's "hot-n-tot" moment in Hawaii. If you put a flute in my hand right now, my fingers can still play Gary Owen (even though I never played it during pre-game). And it's that same part of me, that perpetual teenager that still has a BIG crush on the teenager DRN.

It's not a real crush, not anymore. But when I remember, I remember it all, and so vividly. The smile on my face would make you think it happened only yesterday. I'm not living in the past, I'm definitely living in the bizarre but great here and now. But like Steve said, you hear a song, or remember a moment, and it ALL comes flooding back. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the subject. Good times.

"It's been seven hours and fifteen days

since you took your love away.

I go out every night and sleep all day

since you took your love away."

Okay, one more, for old times sake:

"So raise your hands to heaven and pray

that we'll be back together someday.

Tonight, I need your sweet caress

hold me in the darkness.

Tonight, you calm my restlessness

you relieve my sadness."

~Vet

My 100th Post

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Well, according to my Blogger Dashboard it is, so I guess it must be.

The pressure is on. I want this post to be meaningful, because I am sentimental. I want to look back on this entry and think, wow. If you, my readers, happen to like it too, that would be good also.

Yesterday I sat at my computer, thinking of subjects to write about. I wanted to be funny, but I am not intentionally funny. I wanted to be profound, but I am not philisophical. I wanted this to be more than a list. I wanted this to be more than me talking about cancer. Or cycling. Or the color pink.

So what, exactly did I do? I did one of the things that I knew how to do very well. I procrastinated.

I went to my friend Jenny's website. Both of them. I went to my friend Tony's website. I went to my friend Steve's website. I went to my friend Amy's website. I stayed a little bit, rereading some posts that I had read before, and being curious and browsing through the comments. Usually I don't, because the conversations that are there go beyond my understanding. It was there that I found a link to an interesting article from The Washington Post.

In a lame nutshell: Back in January The Washington post did an experiment. They asked Joshua Bell- really cute, totally awesome violin dude (he's the violinist on The Red Violin soundtrack)- to be like a street performer and play for a bit, just to see what would happen. He played, incognito, outside a Washington D.C. metro station during the morning rush for almost 45 minutes. He was mostly ignored and his open violin case only accumulated $32.17.

Questions were asked: Do you have time for beauty? What about the ability to appreciate life? If we are so busy with our lives, what else are we missing?

Questions like that make me pause and reflect, and yesterday I did. I wondered if I would have stopped to hear him play had I been there. I hoped, and I still hope, that I would have. I believe that I am a person who does take time for beauty. I believe I appreciate life. I admit I get busy with life, we all do. I just hope that it's "not much" that I am missing when I do get too busy, and that I realize quickly when it's happening.

I have gone to Yosemite and looked at majestic mountains. I have sat on the beach in Monterey and watched the waves crash on the rocks, sat still and watch the sun set in beautiful shades of pink. I have pulled off the road while driving, just to watch a full moon rise from behind the mountains. I have riden my bike along the American River, blinded by the green in the spring. I have been inspired by music, dance and art, and moved to tears by love.

I hope this is part of the beauty. I hope this is part of the appreciating life.

So as I sat here at my computer and thought all these thoughts, did I start pouring my heart out through my fingers and on to my keyboard?

No.

I did one of the things I knew how to do well. I procrastinated.

I turned off my computer and changed into some workout clothes. I went into the garage and put in some time on the trainer. I thought happy thoughts while spinning and made a mental packing list for my upcoming trip to Las Vegas. I'll blog tomorrow.

Happy 100 (^ ^)

~Vet

I've never posted anything from youtube to my blog before, so I'm not sure this is even going to work. But if it does work, check it out. It's supposed to be a condensed version of Joshua Bell's performance. At the article link, there is another link to an audio of the entire performance. I had an opportunity to listen to it. Very nice.

Wisdom in a Cup (Tuesday Quote)

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This tidbit of wisdom came to me from my very good friend and excellent shoulder, Vegas. Vegas enjoys Starbucks and often will show me the quotes on her cups.

"You simply can't make someone love you if they don't. You must choose someone who already loves you. If you choose someone who does not love you, this is the sort of love you must want."
--Israel Horovitz
Playwright

Makes me stop and go hmmm, reflecting back to my high school addiction to unrequited love in the form of a certain Yale-bound drum major. I wonder if this is the reason I am not married yet....

~Vet
"I see a red door and I want to paint it PINK"

Monday Crazies

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This post could just as easily be called "The Mind Is Willing, But the Flesh Is Weak, part 6,923"

Today I am sick beyond belief, beyond repair. :( Okay, not true. I can be repaired with a heating pad and an entire bottle of Midol.

When I got home from work, my brain said: "Hey, lets go for a bike ride."

My heart said: "Yeah! That's a great idea!"

My body said: "No f**king way."

After some serious negotiations, some idle threats, and some bribery, all of my body parts compromised and settled on some good time on the trainer. After that, I did some arm strength training because it's less than a month until my next taiko workshop.

I've got my next Tuesday quote all ready to go. I just have to wait until tomorrow. In my research I came across some other quotes, and man have they got me thinking.

Do you ever think too much? I do. Do you ever think so much that the heat from the cogs spinning, things around you accidently catch on fire? Okay, maybe that has never happened to me, but I swear I came close once. I think fast in my head too. Too fast. Sometimes I think of something to say, and the complete thought will form, express itself, then disappear, before I even have a chance to open my mouth. It feels like my neurons aren't firing fast enough and the messages aren't able to get from point A to point B. Hmm, it's probably why I don't say much and usually just stand there and smile. LOL, that was funny. Anyone who knows me knows that I can talk for hours and hours and hours.

That's all. I didn't really have anything important or witty to say today. Somedays I just don't. But I just wanted to post today. Say hi. Hi :)

~Vet

"Apres moi le deluge"

Relay For Life

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Dear Friends and Family:

This year I am participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. Relay is the American Cancer Society’s nationwide signature event. I am on team HAPPY FEET from the California Cancer Center, and this year and we’re planning to raise $20,000.00. Throughout the event, my teammates and I will take turns walking around the track and camping out. I am doing this in honor of Alice Grimaldo Zavala, my mom, who has been surviving lung cancer for 5 years. In addition to my team goal, I have promised a personal goal of $150.00. If you’d like to help in the fight against cancer, you can make a contribution to the American Cancer Society through the Relay For Life website. Please make sure you make your donation before the event.

The event takes place on Saturday May 5, 2007 at Fresno State starting at 9:00am. I would be glad to walk in honor or in memory of someone you know who has been touched by cancer. For a $10.00 donation to the American Cancer Society, I will make sure that person’s name is included in the Luminaria Ceremony, when candles are lit and we remember those who have been touched by cancer.

All I am asking for (begging for) is $10.00 from each person. If you’d like to donate more, I won’t stop you, but just think, for the price of an evening movie, or lunch, or a gallon of gas ;) what a difference your donation can make!

Here is a link to my assigned donor web page:

Vet's Donor Page

If you have difficulty with the link, please try these instructions:

Go to: www.acsevents.org/relay/ca/fresno this should take you to our event homepage.

On the right hand side, there is a list of team rank. Look for team “California Cancer Center/Happy Feet” (click on the “more” if it’s not listed in the top 5). Click on the link, that will take you to our team page.

Under team members, look for my name (Yvette Zavala). Click on the link and that should take you to my personal page.

If you would prefer, you may also donate by cash, or check made out to American Cancer Society. Contact me for details.

I appreciate your support. There’s no finish line until we find a cure.

Gratefully, and with love,

Yvette I. Zavala,
aka ~Vet

Back From Modesto

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Thank goodness.

I love traveling, but sometimes it feels like too much. I'm exhausted and glad to be home.

The hardest part of traveling is the not eating normally. I'm literally eating out 3 meals a day. I do my best to make healthy choices, but I think by design, eating out isn't healthy at all. The meals feel too heavy, and that just weighs me down. If I try to eat just salad, I feel like I'm not getting enough food and I get cranky. The hotel we stay at in Modesto has a workout room, and I do workout, but there's not a lot of time, and I feel like it barely makes a dent.

Ha, I've been doing this long enough that one would think I would have it all figured out already.

I'm hoping that tomorrow I'll be able to go for a bike ride, but the weather is not supposed to be friendly. Might rain, just might be really windy. I won't know until I stick my head outside tomorrow morning.

I'll say one nice thing about Modesto, the city has a lot of trees. I like that. Parts of Fresno has trees, but not all of Fresno. We need more trees.

Okay, enough blabbering on my part. I'm tired and I need to rest.

~Vet
"Tonight I'll dream in pink"

Crazy Saturday

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You'll have to pardon the condition of this post. I'm exhausted, and I didn't want to hold off on posting else I'd forget completely.

I wrote this post sitting in my car getting an oil change and I'm typing it now starting at 10:52pm after running around all day getting ready for tomorrow and next week, and immediately after frosting and decorating what feels like 500 cupcakes. (^ ^)

I'm actually thinking of starting another blog. Crazy, yes I know. Part of me says I should, and part of me says I shouldn't.

Since my taiko experience back in December, I've been anxious to get back on the bike. Dec-Jan-Feb, I didn't ride. I am not ashamed to admit that. I dislike riding in foul weather. To those of you who ride come hell or high water, I applaud you and call you rockstars, but it's just not for me.

Since March, the weather has been nicer and I've been more inclined to ride. At the end of February, I donated blood, so as my bone marrow is rebuilding red blood cells, I'm feeling more and more energetic. I will also admit that spending a Saturday at a bike race really inspired me to get back on the bike. A big thank you to all the cyclists who came out that day to race in our humble little Fresburg.

Sorry, getting off track a bit. What I've been trying to say is that lately, a lot of my thoughts have been about cycling, and more specifically about my efforts getting back on the bike and in shape. More miles means better shape = more energy and strength for taiko....

That's why I am contemplating starting a separate cycling-focused blog.

I'm still not sure though, because I don't want to alienate my non-cycling readers (which is EVERYONE except Tony & Coutenay) when I haven't posted on "Blossoms" in 3 months because I'm too busy riding or writing about riding. YET, I don't want to go on and on and on, on this blog, and bore everyone to death. Sigh, I already have this blog AND my myspace page, so do I really want to add ANOTHER blog to it? Oh decisions, decisions....

So, an hour early, it's 11:08pm now- Happy Easter, I hope everyone has a pleasant day tomorrow.

Oh, I mentioned next week. I'm leaving for Modesto for a week, for work. I'll be doing casefinding at a local pathology lab. I can't remember if at our hotel we'll have access to a computer- I don't have a personal laptop. Some hotels have business centers, some don't. So, if you don't hear from me this week, then the answer is no access. Sorry (>_<).

~Vet

In case you were wondering, OF COURSE those cupcakes have PINK frosting on them (^ ^)

Tuesday Quote 04-03-2007

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I'm going to try something new for a bit. If it works, I'll keep it. If it sucks, hasta.

Every Tuesday is kinda a ladies' family night for me. I meet up with my mom, aunts, sister, and cousins, and we just hang out and chat. It keeps us together, and close. We've been doing this for the past 4-5 years, and I really like it. Unfortunately I don't get home until late and I pretty much only have time to watch House before bed.

Since I really like posting quotes that I've come across in my life and in my work, I've decided that every Tuesday I'm going to post one of those quotes. This way I'm happy, and you guys aren't drowning in stupid quotes. Some are profound, some are silly, some are downright dumb. All are simply quotes, and you are free to take them or leave them. Enjoy!

So on to today's quote:

"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart... Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."
--Carl Jung

Passion & purpose. I've found that inside. I don't even know why people use drugs (^ ^)

~Vet
"think pink"

Monday Shorts

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I LOVE MY JOB:

On a regular basis I get to deal with statements like this "The colonic biopsies have an ulcerated neoplasm that is composed of moderately large cells with slightly enlarged nuclei. The latter exhibits moderate hyperchromasia and pleomorphism. Some of the cells have a signet ring configuration with cytoplasmic mucin. The neoplasm is poorly differentiated without well-developed gland formation. Foci of abundant extracellular mucin are also seen."

Also did some networking today so my colleagues in Sacramento don't forget who I am (^ ^).


ALMOST HIT BY A CAR:

...While out on a bike ride today. It was a close call, but I'm keeping it in perspective. If I were hit, the damage would have been minimal (I'm assuming). Also I know a few cyclists, but just a few, and I'm sure that they have had closer calls than this. They would probably be rolling their eyes at me. Still, I thank my guardian angels.


SPEAKING OF GUARDIAN ANGELS...

I aquired a new one last week. :( My Grandma died. Normally I would post pictures of us, and write up a big tribute like I did when my Uncle Michael died last year, but I can't. It wasn't sudden. It was long, and slow, and absolutely heartbreaking. This past month has been exhausting for my family as you can imagine. We had a rosary for her Friday night and we buried her on Saturday. That's all I have to say about that.


I LOVE MY JOB SOME MORE:

This past Thursday I was able to attend a management seminar. It was awesome. Of course they are supposed to be awesome, that's what our employers pay big money for. But still, I love the high/positive energy that the speakers have. Yeah, I know, it's all part of the gimmick, and they are just glorified used car salesmen (REFUND!?!) that I wouldn't trust with my 15 year old daughter if I had one. But still, it was good. I was reminded of stuff I already knew, but forgot I knew, learned some new tips, and was given some good reading recommendations. Hee-hee, sometimes I forget I have a bachelor's degree in Business Administration ;) That probably explains why I had to take all those accounting and mangagement classes between the ballet and fencing classes. (^ ^)

(last one)

I FOUND A DIET DRINK I ACTUALLY LIKE:

And bonus points, it's NOT a diet soda! It's Lipton's (diet) Green Tea with Citrus. Yum-yum!!!! I hate diet sodas because of the yucky aftertaste. So forever I have been sabotaging my health efforts because I refused to give up my regular Coke. It's my intention to save the Coke for special occasions, or the occasional Crown (or Malibu) and Coke, and take to drinking this tea during those moments when water just won't do. WOO-HOO!

And that concludes the Monday Shorts

~Vet

I washed my white sports-bras with my red jersey. Guess what color my sports-bras are now?
P-I-N-K! (yeah, I really did)