*Happy Birthday to my Nala !!*

I keep thinking that my pup's birthday is in September only because that was the month that I woke up as early as 7am to go with my dad + pick her up at his workplace.

Back in 2001, one of my dad's workmates was giving us a puppy. A mutt, mind you, but cute as ever. His workmate pulled out a cardboard box from the back seat of her car + revealed this wrinked, furry little creature that we later named Nala. She was wide-eyed + looked a little tired; most likely from napping while waiting for us. When my dad drove us back home, she was napping again right on my lap [yeh, she was that tiny!] + not moving an inch during the whole ride. I will never forget that day we brought Nala to her new home. :)))

I will need to scan photos from that morning. She is still cute as ever + of course, has her dispositions [I'll save those stories for another time; for those that know me, just ask, hehe]. But, I love that monkeyface all the same. ;)

high school French class

I was wracking my brain trying to remember one of the poems I memorized + recited in front of one of my high school French classes [I took French I + II], but I never thought to google it. So, here it is, simply just for the sake of my own personal accounts. Maybe if you're lucky, you can ask me to recite it for you. ;)


Le Printemps
un poème de Charles d'Orléans (1391 - 1465)


Le temps a laissé son manteau
De vent, de froidure et de pluie
Et s'est vêtu de broderies,
De soleil luisant, clair et beau.

Il n'y a ni bête, ni oiseau
Qu'en son langage ne chante ou crie
Le temps a laissé son manteau
De vent, de froidure et de pluie.

Rivières, fontaines et ruisseaux
Portent en livrée jolie,
Gouttes d'argent, d'orfèvrerie
Chacun s'habille de nouveau.



P.S. One work week till India! Unbelievable...

in honour

Passionately Pink for the Cure
"Showcase your passion for the cure by uploading passionately pink photos to help raise vital funds for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Share photos in honor of a survivor, in memory of a loved one, to celebrate Passionately Pink for the Cure events. Or simply share a pink photo that inspires others to rally around the cause.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Yahoo! will donate $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, for each pink photo added to this flickr Group from October 1-31, 2007 up to $50,000! This donation will be used to fund breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment programs.

Pick your Pink. Play Your Part. End Breast Cancer."

+++

On a very personal note... In June 2003, I underwent surgery to have a large tumor 2 inches in diameter removed from within my left side. When it grew noticeably large, I was really freaked out + too scared to figure out what I needed to do that I didn't tell anyone about it at first. I waited too long to have it checked. Then, I told my parents about it, + of course they were upset with me that I didn't tell them sooner. They said that our family really has no history concerning breast cancer, so that weirded me out even more. I was 25.

I have been thanking the good Lord that the biopsy proved it benign. The doc called it a "giant Fibroadenoma", which is the most common benign breast tumors seen in women under the age of 35 years. It was the very first time I have ever been under the knife so it was quite nerve-racking. I wanted to recount what I was feeling during that time, so I leafed through my online journal archives + found the entry I wrote after it happened:


out from under | 24 June 2k3 _ 01:01 p.m.

"The weekend _/ i am back from going under. everything went well for those of you who are aware. it all happened last Thursday afternoon. the 1.5 hours of preparation. the reading + the signing of the millions of papers. the waiting. "You're going to start to feel a bit relaxed, hon." photos to document to be picked up tomorrow evening. recovering from a deep sleep an hour or so later. very supportive family + friends. phone calls from distant + not-so-distant loved ones. much needed days off. first [+ hopefully last] time for everything. thank the lord for watching over everyone, meaning EVERYONE involved."


To all the ladies out there, examine yourselves + be aware.


PHOTO NOTES:
_ 15 Sept 2k7
_ The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

T00L

So, my older bro + older sis just came back from a TOOL show over the weekend + sent me a multimedia text message that supposedly contained a photo taken at the concert. Too bad my phone didn't accept the image because all I could see was a butterfly icon with a big fat 'X' on top of it. How lame.

Anyway, all this TOOLband talk has gotten my audio senses in a rut making me want to bring back some TOOL into my heavy iTunes rotation. Oh, how I miss listening to these guys. I used to love belting out this part of the song "Jimmy" while driving 'round Savannah in my red minivan.

Hold your light
Eleven
Lead me through each gentle step by step
by inch by loaded memory

I'll move to heal
As soon as pain allows so we can
Reunite and both move on together

Hold your light
Eleven
Lead me through each gentle step by step
By inch by loaded memory
'till one and one are one
eleven
So glow, child, glow

I'm heading back home

If you guys know that song, you'd agree that that part kicks some hugebootay.

First + last time I saw this band was in August of 2k2.
Man, I wish I was at that concert with my sibs. :(

If when I say I might fade like a sigh if I stay
You minimize my movement anyway
I must persuade you another way

"Hey everybody, where did [May] go? Where did [May] go? And where's my only cigarette? Please think for me I can't bear to..."

Puffy-eyed Saturday morning

Be in peace with God always, Lolo Vincent.
{1919-2007}



We love you + miss you, Lolo... You always made us laugh with your kalakuhan [hijinks]. :')

News from an old friend...

I was doing my usual rounds of checking in on friends' blogs + ran across my old idea coworker Nate's page. His longtime pet boxer + friend, Gus, just recently passed away. :( I met this friendly pup back in 2000. I didn't get to know Gus too well, but I knew he was Nate's best bud. The year 2000 was the year I started working at Idea + it was the same year my family welcomed our Simba into our family. Pretty much the entire staff was dog lovers/owners, so it was a very common topic of conversation at the lunch table. ...And Gus was brought up many times. ^__^

Be in peace, Gus. :')