Grandma Rena

Today would have been my grandma Rena's 65th birthday. She died when I was 13 on December 2nd 2003 from complications of juvenile onset diabetes. I remember the fog was so weird on that day...I haven't seen fog like that since. I also remember the amount of people at her funeral. They extended out of the door. This was just a small example of how many people's lives my grandma touched. She was always there for anyone no matter what and always offered what she had. I remember thinking that I wanted to be just like that. Though my grandma was in my life for a very short time, she has influenced me in a way that changes how I act towards myself and other people everyday. Here are some stories that I define and remember my grandma by:

Go to Hal's!
It was a very snowy morning and my grandpa Frank was headed to work. He was notorious for being in a grouchy mood and the fact that his car wasn't starting that morning didn't help matters much. So in a huff, he began walking to work. My grandma, feeling bad for him, ran inside and called their next door neighbors' Hal and Edith to ask Hal to drive my grandpa to work. Hal agreed and my grandma ran out to the middle of the street to catch my grandpa. As he was half way down the block, my grandma yelled "Frank! Go to Hal's!" My grandpa turned around and yells back "What?" "Go to Hal's!" my grandma yells. "Ah, you go to hell, you bitch!" my grandpa yells back. HAHA!! "No! Go to Edith and Hal's so he can take you to work!" At this point, my grandma is cracking up.

Hamburgers
One time, my grandma forgot to pay the gas bill. This wasn't a rare thing, but she did not want my grandpa to find out. So she decided to buy hamburgers from Crown Burger for dinner that night. She bought my grandpa two hamburgers, but he only ate one. Later that evening, he asked my grandma to warm up his other hamburger and left over fries. Keep in mind that they did not have a microwave. My mom gave my grandma a look of horror, but my grandma kept her cool and said "Sure" as she ran to the kitchen. "Lorie, can you come here real quick?" my grandma yelled to my mom. When my mom walked into the kitchen, she saw that my grandma had the hamburger laid out open faced on the toaster. "Keep pressing the lever down and I will be right back" my grandma told my mom. My mom reluctantly agreed and my grandma ran to the bathroom. A few seconds later, my mom heard the blow dryer going. My mom checked to see what grandma was doing, and she had the fries in a napkin and was blow drying them. My grandpa thought that was the best hamburger and fries he ever ate and never found out about the gas bill until I blurted it out many years later.

Grandma Rena with my Uncle Pancho. My mom looks a lot like her.

There are a million other funny stories like these that have to do with my grandma. Like the one time when she and my dad stole a Christmas tree, or when she farted in the Grand Canyon. But there are other, more serious things I remember my grandma by too. How she would always find a way to feed her children even when they were dirt poor. Or how she was helping a child from another country financially, which we didn't find out about until we were going through her things after she died. I learned many things from  my grandma, but I believe the most important was to be kind and to respect other people from all walks of life regardless of their past. You never know the battles that other people are fighting and the least you can do is be a kind and genuine person towards them. I grew up thinking that my grandma would be there for my kids one day the way she was there for my sister, my cousins, and I. And she still will be, as a piece of her lives in me.

My Favorite Zumba Songs

I've had quite a few favorite Zumba songs since I started taking the class back in the Fall. My first favorite was called Caipirinha. Karine played this one during my very first class and it became my instant favorite because the moves got stuck in my head. Therefore it was the first Zumba dance I memorized. But then, Zumba announced a video competition to Caipirinha. I was soooo excited that I volunteered myself and my best friend Julie to do the filming/editing I heard that song probably 500 times and after three long days of editing, it was number one on my shit list. But our video did get into the top 18 of 121 videos :)

As of now, my favorite is Lola by Chayanne. Why? Because it's SAMBA :D Nothing gets my heart racing like samba. It's so fast and fun and I love it! Plus, Karine lets me teach a side (it's a split song). The thing is, I never got samba until she called me out during a class. I had no idea what I was doing so I stopped. So I went home that night and memorized the dance and went to the next class prepared. Funny thing is, I can't do samba unless I'm in class. Only works under pressure :)

Here is a list of my other favorite Zumba songs if you're curious :)
Hace Tiempo- Fonseca
Lagartija Azul- Fonseca
Waka Waka- Shakira
La Despedida- Daddy Yankee
Tunak Tun- Daler Mehndi
Lola- Chayanne
Mami- Kumbia Kings
El Ritmo No Perdona- Daddy Yankee
No Vale La Pena- Manu
Club Can't Handle Me- Flo Rida
Bailadora- No idea. Probably Zumba made.
and of course, Caipirinha- again probably Zumba made :)

Just me and Muz

Why is my blog named "Just me and Muz"? Well, let's start from the top. Who am I? My name is Evangeleena Camille Alessandra Manzanares. Yes, it is extremely long and is often mispronounced by...everyone. But I don't go by Evangeleena, unless you are my mom when she is angry with me, or if you're a professor, in which case it's more like "Eh-ven-guhl-ee..." So just call me Vangie :) I am 20 years old and I am studying biology and chemistry at the University of Utah. I am in my junior year, but that should not be an indication of when I am going to graduate because the answer to that is never (but it is really Spring 2013). When I graduate, I plan on attending medical school while working towards a PhD in neuroscience or genetics simultaneously. I kind of work in a research lab as a slave to a graduate student whom I adore and love to give crap :) In my rare free time, I take a Zumba class from an amazing lady and friend. I have never been more in shape and confident than I am right now because of it :)

Salt Flats Oct. 2010

Now, who is Muz? Muz, aka Reuben, is my 9 year old basset hound. He has been my best buddy since September 10th 2001. This mutt and I grew up together and he's been my one, constant friend. Though he loves to steal my food, hog my bed, and escape from the backyard, he is my idea of the perfect dog. I named my blog after him because...he is da bomb :)

Reuben waiting for some sausage.

Though my blog is named after Muz, I have a few other pets that I adore and think should be mentioned as well. First is my Meyer's parrot Mikado. Mikado came to us in 2004 I believe. She once belonged to my mom's boss who passed away and left Mikado to us. She is pretty cool. She is gray on the outside with a yellow unibrow and orange eyes. Her tail and under belly is green and she has shades of blue under her wings. Don't let her beauty fool you though. She is pretty mean. She attacked my sister's face and pierced my dad's nose. But I still love her. Then there is Rory. She is my albino rat that I am very allergic to so my sis takes care of her. Her sister, Rex, passed away in December :( I love my rats. Last but not least, there are the mice I take care of in lab. I consider them my babies, even though they aren't really mine.

Mikado

Rex and Rory

Well those are my pets :) I'll post more stuff later. Right now, I gotta go put the beans that I've been cooking for hours away. Now that they are done, I'm not hungry anymore.