The black and white Say Anything button says "John Cusack has given me unrealistic expectations of men" :)
Hee hee.
Love, Yvette
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
I Like Shiny Things!
I am self diagnosed ADD and therefore easily distracted.
I am currently distracted by Facebook. Myspace has all my family and REI friends, but Facebook has all my friends from high school. And, if you know me, you know that I loved high school. I am absolutely giddy that I've made contact with people I haven't spoken to in years.
Another wonderful (to me) aspect of Facebook is this one little application called Pieces of Flair. You get it, I know you do, you got the memo about the TPS reports. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about need to A) get Netflix, and B) add Office Space to the top of your queue. This application is a simple cork board, and you can add buttons to it.
Yes, I was one of those dorks who had a denim jacket and added buttons to it. Yes! I wore the denim jacket with the denim mini-skirt and carried the denim purse. And yes! My bangs went straight up in the air. I LOVED THE 80'S!!!!
Yes, I thought I was Molly Ringwald (with a really good tan). I was Andie looking for my Blane. I was Samantha looking for my Jake Ryan. Okay, now I'm really getting off the subject here.
All I am trying to say is that I really like the Pieces of Flair.
If I can, I'll try to post a picture of my board for you to see.
Love, Yvette
Friday, June 20, 2008
I Can't Believe I Did It....
Man oh man oh man. I still don't believe it myself. I am shaking my head in disbelief.
I'm not sure I'm comfortable doing it. I'm not even sure what I am doing. But I did it.
I joined Facebook.
(what have I done?)
I'm not sure I'm comfortable doing it. I'm not even sure what I am doing. But I did it.
I joined Facebook.
(what have I done?)
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Yosemite Part II
Hi, I'm back to finish the story :)
Actually, I was wrong about lunch. It wasn't sloppy joe's, it was a bbq pulled-chicken sandwich served with spicy cole-slaw. It was spicy, but it was oh so good. Or maybe I was just oh-so-hungry. For dessert they served brownies, yummy brownies. Food tastes so good when you've been working hard.
After that, we were released to do as we pleased! Carlos, Jeremy and Tara went climbing. Alyson, Melissa, and I were going to go hike around Sentinel Dome, but we were invited to go up to Tenaya Lake with Belinda and her parents who were in from Florida. I'd never been up to the high country before so I jumped on this chance fast!
We left the valley and drove up Tioga Pass, stopping along the way to take pictures. It was a lovely drive. As we drove up, the ground went from a lush green to a dirty white. There was still snow on the ground! The first time we stopped above the snow line, we had to put on our jackets. It was cool up there! Not cold, but cool and breezy. Felt good :)
We drove up to Tenaya Lake, and hung out for a while, then looped back to Olmstead Point. I took as many pictures as I possibly could. Hopefully you've checked out my pictures. Yes, they suck. I need to take a photography class, and learn how to use a camera.
Back at camp, we regrouped for an end of event potluck. Just us "REE-ers" and the mates we adopted during our stay: Anna, Scott, Scott, and other-guy-I-can't-remember-his-name. Adam? No clue. Anyways, it was good eats, Belinda prepared a FEAST!
After that, it was time to tear down and return to Earth, return to real life, return to the SJV. Return to The No. Can you tell I wasn't ready to come back?
It was a very good weekend. I'm going to volunteer next year and try to stay all weekend long!
Love, Yvette
PS-If you missed the link to the pics the first time here it is again LINK
Actually, I was wrong about lunch. It wasn't sloppy joe's, it was a bbq pulled-chicken sandwich served with spicy cole-slaw. It was spicy, but it was oh so good. Or maybe I was just oh-so-hungry. For dessert they served brownies, yummy brownies. Food tastes so good when you've been working hard.
After that, we were released to do as we pleased! Carlos, Jeremy and Tara went climbing. Alyson, Melissa, and I were going to go hike around Sentinel Dome, but we were invited to go up to Tenaya Lake with Belinda and her parents who were in from Florida. I'd never been up to the high country before so I jumped on this chance fast!
We left the valley and drove up Tioga Pass, stopping along the way to take pictures. It was a lovely drive. As we drove up, the ground went from a lush green to a dirty white. There was still snow on the ground! The first time we stopped above the snow line, we had to put on our jackets. It was cool up there! Not cold, but cool and breezy. Felt good :)
We drove up to Tenaya Lake, and hung out for a while, then looped back to Olmstead Point. I took as many pictures as I possibly could. Hopefully you've checked out my pictures. Yes, they suck. I need to take a photography class, and learn how to use a camera.
Back at camp, we regrouped for an end of event potluck. Just us "REE-ers" and the mates we adopted during our stay: Anna, Scott, Scott, and other-guy-I-can't-remember-his-name. Adam? No clue. Anyways, it was good eats, Belinda prepared a FEAST!
After that, it was time to tear down and return to Earth, return to real life, return to the SJV. Return to The No. Can you tell I wasn't ready to come back?
It was a very good weekend. I'm going to volunteer next year and try to stay all weekend long!
Love, Yvette
PS-If you missed the link to the pics the first time here it is again LINK
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
I Was Bad....
Really bad.
Today is Tuesday, and Tuesday means family night. Tonight, I ditched. I told my family that I was invited to a lecture.
That was a lie.
Every Tuesday, REI has free clinics open to the public. Pretty much on any REI-related (activity) topic. Tonight a speaker from Yosemite Mountaineering School was giving a slideshow and discussion on big wall climbing: El Capitan and Half Dome. Oh, and it's the 50th anniversary of the first ascent too, way cool.
Since our grand opening back in September, I had been to exactly ZERO clinics. There were a few I wanted to attend, but didn't because of family night.
But I couldn't miss this one. I just couldn't. So I didn't.
I'm bad.
Love, Yvette
Today is Tuesday, and Tuesday means family night. Tonight, I ditched. I told my family that I was invited to a lecture.
That was a lie.
Every Tuesday, REI has free clinics open to the public. Pretty much on any REI-related (activity) topic. Tonight a speaker from Yosemite Mountaineering School was giving a slideshow and discussion on big wall climbing: El Capitan and Half Dome. Oh, and it's the 50th anniversary of the first ascent too, way cool.
Since our grand opening back in September, I had been to exactly ZERO clinics. There were a few I wanted to attend, but didn't because of family night.
But I couldn't miss this one. I just couldn't. So I didn't.
I'm bad.
Love, Yvette
New Pictures
I do intend to finish my Yosemite blog and tell you my bear story (nutshell: I saw a bear), but just a little busy taking care of my mommy right now. She drives me crazy, but I love her and I'm not willing to lose her now.
I was able to upload and format all my pictures from the trip. Hopefully I will be adding more as I get them from my friends. Please enjoy: National Trails Day 2008 The slideshow function is really cool, FYI. :)
I was able to upload and format all my pictures from the trip. Hopefully I will be adding more as I get them from my friends. Please enjoy: National Trails Day 2008 The slideshow function is really cool, FYI. :)
Love, Yvette
Monday, June 16, 2008
Family Emergency
I had to disappear for a bit. I had a family emergency. My mom was in the hospital this weekend- her heart condition was aggravated. Things are stable now and my mom is back home, thank goodness.
I'll be back to blogging soon.
Love, Yvette
I'll be back to blogging soon.
Love, Yvette
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Something I've Learned
Don't put anything on your gift/wedding registry unless you really, really, want it.
The world is full of smart-asses, and Lord knows I am one of them.
A couple who recently got married put a kayak on their registry even though they live in a tiny apartment and have no storage space. The smart-ass groom thought it would be a funny thing to put on a registry because no one in their right mind would buy a $600 kayak as a wedding gift, right?
Well, smart-ass people usually have smart-ass friends. So, Mr. smart-ass friend bought the newlyweds the kayak and a set of paddles.
So guess which smart-ass cashier got to do the smart-ass return? Yup. Me.
That's what I get, for being such a smart-ass, I guess. :)
Love, Yvette
The world is full of smart-asses, and Lord knows I am one of them.
A couple who recently got married put a kayak on their registry even though they live in a tiny apartment and have no storage space. The smart-ass groom thought it would be a funny thing to put on a registry because no one in their right mind would buy a $600 kayak as a wedding gift, right?
Well, smart-ass people usually have smart-ass friends. So, Mr. smart-ass friend bought the newlyweds the kayak and a set of paddles.
So guess which smart-ass cashier got to do the smart-ass return? Yup. Me.
That's what I get, for being such a smart-ass, I guess. :)
Love, Yvette
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
I'm Back!
Hello! I'm back from the mighty Yose. I had a great time. It was just overnight, but man, oh man, it was so what I needed. I didn't want to come back, but I had to work yesterday so I did. Today I took a vacation day, no plans made for today originally (since I didn't know if I would have a car or not) but tonight I'm having dinner and then a movie with girlfriends.
We drove up Friday- oops, I forgot to mention, who "we" are. "We" are Alyson, Melissa, Carlos, and me. We drove up Friday and met up with the rest of our crew: Belinda, Jeremy, Terra, and Belinda's parents. We also hooked up with some climbers from town who wanted to join us. It was all good. We set up camp, and sat by the camp fire for a while. (There is a side story here that I'm saving for another post).
Oh the stars!!! The stars!!!! I love looking at the stars!!! Every year I take the kids (my sister's kids) up the hill to look at the stars. I didn't last year, because optimum time was during my cousin Tony's wedding so we missed out. So it's been a while since I'd seen them.
After star-gazing, we went to bed. I forgot my beenie cap, so my head was a little cold. Other than that, sleep went well. I woke up at 5:30, out of habit, and tried to stay quiet as long as possible. I got up, walked around, sat outside in the quiet for a while as long as I could, before it was time to really get up and attack the day's objectives.
Everything sounds different up there, everything smells different, everything looks different. When I'm up there, my mind calms down, and I can simply be. I like that thought: simply be. I loved that quietness of the morning. Reminds me of when I used to get up early and have a cup of coffee and watch the sun rise.
Okay, now, the reason I was there in the first place. It was National Trails Day and some of us from REI had volunteered to go to Yosemite to pick up trash on the trails. We got in for free and was allowed to camp in the valley for free too.
After breakfast, which was provided to us, we split up into teams and were each assigned a section of the Valley Floor Loop. My team worked on the section that runs under El Capitan, just around two miles. My team included my friend Melissa, Belinda's parents, a couple from San Jose, and a kid working towards his Eagle Scout. We had fun, got great views of climbers on the big wall, and found some odds and ends stuff. Mostly ciggarette butts, small candy wrappers, kleenex. Best find goes to the pair of discarded men's underwear and a pair of flip-flops.
Done by noon, we headed back to camp for lunch, which was also provided to us. Sloppy Joe's, which were surprisingly good.
-End of part one-
I'm just publishing what I have so far because I don't want to take forever. I'll finish tomorrow-ish. I've already uploaded some pictures, but not all. I'll provide a link again, when they are done.
Love, Yvette
We drove up Friday- oops, I forgot to mention, who "we" are. "We" are Alyson, Melissa, Carlos, and me. We drove up Friday and met up with the rest of our crew: Belinda, Jeremy, Terra, and Belinda's parents. We also hooked up with some climbers from town who wanted to join us. It was all good. We set up camp, and sat by the camp fire for a while. (There is a side story here that I'm saving for another post).
Oh the stars!!! The stars!!!! I love looking at the stars!!! Every year I take the kids (my sister's kids) up the hill to look at the stars. I didn't last year, because optimum time was during my cousin Tony's wedding so we missed out. So it's been a while since I'd seen them.
After star-gazing, we went to bed. I forgot my beenie cap, so my head was a little cold. Other than that, sleep went well. I woke up at 5:30, out of habit, and tried to stay quiet as long as possible. I got up, walked around, sat outside in the quiet for a while as long as I could, before it was time to really get up and attack the day's objectives.
Everything sounds different up there, everything smells different, everything looks different. When I'm up there, my mind calms down, and I can simply be. I like that thought: simply be. I loved that quietness of the morning. Reminds me of when I used to get up early and have a cup of coffee and watch the sun rise.
Okay, now, the reason I was there in the first place. It was National Trails Day and some of us from REI had volunteered to go to Yosemite to pick up trash on the trails. We got in for free and was allowed to camp in the valley for free too.
After breakfast, which was provided to us, we split up into teams and were each assigned a section of the Valley Floor Loop. My team worked on the section that runs under El Capitan, just around two miles. My team included my friend Melissa, Belinda's parents, a couple from San Jose, and a kid working towards his Eagle Scout. We had fun, got great views of climbers on the big wall, and found some odds and ends stuff. Mostly ciggarette butts, small candy wrappers, kleenex. Best find goes to the pair of discarded men's underwear and a pair of flip-flops.
Done by noon, we headed back to camp for lunch, which was also provided to us. Sloppy Joe's, which were surprisingly good.
-End of part one-
I'm just publishing what I have so far because I don't want to take forever. I'll finish tomorrow-ish. I've already uploaded some pictures, but not all. I'll provide a link again, when they are done.
Love, Yvette
Friday, June 6, 2008
Going Offline
I'm on my way to yosemite now. I'm so excited. We're going to have a great time!!!! Wish me luck and hope the bears stay far far away from me!!!!!
Love, Yvette
Love, Yvette
On Vacation
It is currently 7:52am as I begin to type this. I am sitting in front of my computer wearing my pjs, drinking coffee with a biscotti. Obviously, I am not going to work today. I'm taking some vacation time.
I have vacation issues. I accrue it, but I don't use it. I took a week off 3 years ago to go to Michigan for my cousin's wedding. Then nothing. Then last year I took off a week for another cousin's wedding- you may remember because I blogged about it on my Blossoms blog. Since then, nada, rien, niente, nothing.
At my work, there is a limit on how many vacation hours you can have. Maximum of 200 hours (5 weeks). When I hit 195 hours, I take a day off, and then reaccrue. I literally have to take a vacation day every pay period so I don't stop accruing. So on those days, what do I do? Usually I have to work that evening at REI, so I can't go anywhere. So I do laundry, do some cleaning, go for a short bike ride (5-10mi), catch up on my Netflix (I really don't know why I bother anymore). Once I did manage to make it to Monterey for the day- right after a storm, the waves were beautiful. I've been doing this for about 3 months now.
But this time is different. My Friday-Saturday schedule is open at REI, and I was invited on a volunteer project with the co-op. So I'm going camping with some co-workers. In Yosemite!!! Woo-Hoo!
I don't know if I'll be able to take pictures, since labor is involved, but we get to get in free and camp for free! Woo-Hoo! I'm excited. So today is packing and getting my gear ready. We leave tonight. I'm excited.
Wish me luck :)
Love, Yvette
I have vacation issues. I accrue it, but I don't use it. I took a week off 3 years ago to go to Michigan for my cousin's wedding. Then nothing. Then last year I took off a week for another cousin's wedding- you may remember because I blogged about it on my Blossoms blog. Since then, nada, rien, niente, nothing.
At my work, there is a limit on how many vacation hours you can have. Maximum of 200 hours (5 weeks). When I hit 195 hours, I take a day off, and then reaccrue. I literally have to take a vacation day every pay period so I don't stop accruing. So on those days, what do I do? Usually I have to work that evening at REI, so I can't go anywhere. So I do laundry, do some cleaning, go for a short bike ride (5-10mi), catch up on my Netflix (I really don't know why I bother anymore). Once I did manage to make it to Monterey for the day- right after a storm, the waves were beautiful. I've been doing this for about 3 months now.
But this time is different. My Friday-Saturday schedule is open at REI, and I was invited on a volunteer project with the co-op. So I'm going camping with some co-workers. In Yosemite!!! Woo-Hoo!
I don't know if I'll be able to take pictures, since labor is involved, but we get to get in free and camp for free! Woo-Hoo! I'm excited. So today is packing and getting my gear ready. We leave tonight. I'm excited.
Wish me luck :)
Love, Yvette
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Fifth Time's a Charm
Rental car for two weeks: 634.37
Putting gas in your sister's Volvo so she'll drive you to work X 2: 110.54
New air conditioning unit for a 1999 Saturn SL2: 2166.72
Being able to drive with the AC on full-blast while it's currently 63 degrees outside:
Putting gas in your sister's Volvo so she'll drive you to work X 2: 110.54
New air conditioning unit for a 1999 Saturn SL2: 2166.72
Being able to drive with the AC on full-blast while it's currently 63 degrees outside:
PRICELESS
(OK, technically it's 2911.63, but who's counting?)
Love, Yvette
Monday, June 2, 2008
Doing Some Other Writing
Hi peeps
I've been busy writing, but not on this blog. Over the weekend I got a text message from Wil Wheaton and he said to make time for your friends. So I decided to start writing my friends. Just little notes to say hi, I haven't forgotten about you. Because, you know, I'm such a bad friend that I go long periods of time without contact. It doesn't help that none of my long-time friends live in Fresno anymore. The closest is my Steveo and his family. They live in Madera, but he works at Camp Roberts (Roberts?) so he is a very busy man.
Now, if you're my friend, and you haven't received an email from me. You just haven't yet. I had to work this weekend, so I wasn't able to do any writing yesterday. Today I finished a long and deserved letter to my dear Deanna. I owe her so much I need to just hop my ass on a plane and go visit her, but I can't do shit until my car issues are resolved (YES MY CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP- WTF!!!!!!) So don't give up. I'm not giving up. And I'll return to my regular blogging soon- I'm not scheduled to be out of the office this month.
Oh, and if you're wondering about me receiving text messages from Wil Wheaton. It's true. But it's lamer than what you might imagine. I follow him on Twitter.... :)
Love, Yvette
I've been busy writing, but not on this blog. Over the weekend I got a text message from Wil Wheaton and he said to make time for your friends. So I decided to start writing my friends. Just little notes to say hi, I haven't forgotten about you. Because, you know, I'm such a bad friend that I go long periods of time without contact. It doesn't help that none of my long-time friends live in Fresno anymore. The closest is my Steveo and his family. They live in Madera, but he works at Camp Roberts (Roberts?) so he is a very busy man.
Now, if you're my friend, and you haven't received an email from me. You just haven't yet. I had to work this weekend, so I wasn't able to do any writing yesterday. Today I finished a long and deserved letter to my dear Deanna. I owe her so much I need to just hop my ass on a plane and go visit her, but I can't do shit until my car issues are resolved (YES MY CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP- WTF!!!!!!) So don't give up. I'm not giving up. And I'll return to my regular blogging soon- I'm not scheduled to be out of the office this month.
Oh, and if you're wondering about me receiving text messages from Wil Wheaton. It's true. But it's lamer than what you might imagine. I follow him on Twitter.... :)
Love, Yvette
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
