For good.

I'm leaving this blog for good.
Come follow me over at my new, legit blog: Bright + Gold.
It'll be fun.

My ABCs.

A - Available or married? 
Pretty dang available, if I do say so myself.

B- Book? I have bookmarks in about a million books: Pride & Prejudice, The Host, Les Miserables, The Wedding, The Brothers Karamazov, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix... It's pretty ridiculous.

C- Cake or Pie? BLUEBERRY PIE.

D- Drink of Choice? Water. Skim milk.

E- Essential Item? My phone. Burt's Bees pomegranate lip balm. Boots.

F- Favorite Color? Turquoise and teal. 

G- Game to play or watch? Werewolf. 


H- Hometown? Miami, FL. 305 'till I die!

I- Indulgence? Anything sweet and anything chocolate. Seriously. Such a weakness of mine. I can never say no.

J- Job? I currently have a part-time job at the BYU Museum of Art as a student educator and it's fabulous. More than anything else, though, I'd say my job "Student".

K- Kids and names? I have no kids, but I certainly have names for them already. I'm weird. Some include: Breana Rae, Lila Marie, Cassia Mae, Emma Noelle, Nova Lynn... It's funny that they're all girl names because I actually really only want one girl. I want a million boys. I will name some of my boys: Markl (yes, that's "Mark" with an "L" at the end. You'll only get it if you've watched Hayao Miyazaki's "Howl's Moving Castle), Skylar Thomas, Peter Gale (Hunger Games, much?), Alma (because I'm LDS and it also means "soul/spirit" in Spanish).

L- Life is incomplete without? Family.

M- Music group or singer? Coldplay, Incubus, The Rocket Summer, Taylor Swift.

N- Number of siblings? I'm one of out 9. It's not as insane as it sounds. I have one full-blood brother, a half brother and half sister, two stepsisters and three stepbrothers. We don't all live in the same house, though.

O- Oranges or apples? APPLESAPPLESAPPLES.

P- Phobias/Fears? Stretching out my ear piercings or ripping them (funny, because I had gauges once upon a time). Heights. Dying young.

Q- Favorite Quote? "I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." -Galileo Galilei
"Never settle for less than what you've worked for." -Henry B. Eyring
"What's right is right even if no one is doing it. What's wrong is wrong even if everybody is doing it."

R- Reason to Smile? I'm living, breathing, healthy! I can sing, dance, walk, run, dance, jump! I see and hear and smell and taste and touch and feel. I have a future, I have a family, I have a Savior, and I have love.


S- Season? Fall is my favorite. Hands down. I like winter for the snow and crispness in the air. I like summer because I love the sun, tans, and green. But I also like Spring because it's pretty (although I hate the allergies that come with it).

T- Tattoos? Zip.
U- Unknown fact about me? I mentioned this before, but I had gauges once. 00s, even. I also used to dye my hair crazy colors and listen to screamo and metal. \m/

V- Vegetable you love? SPINACH! That's a veggie, right? I also love bell peppers, basil, and red onions.

W- Worst habit? PROCRASTINATION TO THE MAX. Cracking my knuckles too much.

X- X-Rays you've had? Knees. Just this last year, too.

Y- Your favorite food? Anything sugar-related: desserts, chocolate, cookie- you name it. Peanut butter. Hummus. Tuna. Fish. Indian food.

Z- Zodiac? Scorpio through and through. I'm kind of the epitome of a Scorpios.

This semester.

Is the craziest semester of my whole entire life.
Let's just leave it at that.
Some day I'll catch up on this blog.

For now, I'll just tell you what classes I'm taking:

• 4th year Spanish grammar
• Survey of Hispanic Linguistics
• 3rd year Spanish composition
• New Testament
• Intro to Geology
• Museum Education

It's a pretty dang loaded schedule.

I'm taking 17 credits, minus the three audit credits for my Museum Ed class.

On top of that, I work anywhere between 15-20 hours a week.

It's crazy.

ALSO. I've decided to switch from being a Photography major to being a Spanish major with a minor in Visual Arts. I'll graduate April 2014, so that's pretty dang exciting! After that, I want to take a year off and take the GRE multiple times, compile my grad school applications, and go to grad school for Spanish with an emphasis in Linguistics. Maybe I'll go on a mission before I go to grad school. Ultimately, I want to teach as a Spanish professor at the university level. I think it'd be the best job EVER. I know I want to teach. I have to teach! It's one of my callings in life.

ALSO ALSO ALSO. I dropped of my little brother Michael at the MTC this past week. It was very bittersweet. He'll be at the MTC for two weeks before going to Boise, Idaho Spanish-speaking. I'm so stinking excited.

Until later!

This semester so far, Fall 2012:

Classes I have taken/am taking:

1. Exploration of Foreign Language Teaching. This class ended last week, since it was only a first block class. It helped me decide that I, indeed, want to pursue a teaching degree (Spanish Teaching with a Dual Language Immersion minor). It was from 8 am (sometimes earlier) to noon every single day. It took a toll on my body and energy and was hard, but worth every second. I truly loved that class and my teacher, Professor Montgomery.
2. Multicultural Education. This class just started last week, as my second block class in place of the first I mentioned. I am loving it so far. It is only 8 am - 10 am Mondays and Wednesdays, but it is still really hard to get there on time. So I usually don't. I am always five-ten minutes late x_x
3. 3rd-Year Spanish & Grammar. I am not the biggest fan of this class. It's way disorganized and all over the place, but I DO love that the teacher never, ever, ever takes attendance. The teacher is also quite a character. When I walked in the first day, I swore I was in the wrong class because I saw this little Asian woman. I asked her if this was the Spanish class and she enthusiastically replied in Spanish. It was quite funny. She is a trip. I also do love the people I sit around in the class. They are pretty great.
4. Iberian Civilization. The Iberian peninsula= Spain + Portugal. It's mostly just a history class about Spain. I LOVE it. SO much. My teacher is such a diva. She is fifty years old or so, white-blond hair, dresses so cute, has the most refined Spanish ever, is actually from Spain, and is so dang witty. Also, I just love Spain.
5. Spanish Phonetics & Pronunciation. This is actually my favorite class. Besides the fact that my professor is ridiculously handsome (and married with children, unfortunately which is sweet), he also served his mission in Venezuela (my stepmom is Venezuelan) and he got a degree at the University of Miami (the school I almost went to instead of BYU). So he's awesome. But it is SO cool learning about different dialects and being able to share my wonderful, interesting Puerto Rican-Colombian-Miami-Cuban Spanish with the class. I really do love this class. It has made me consider being a linguistics major, but I love teaching too much to not.

Also, I've been volunteering in a Spanish Immersion second grade classroom and LOVE it.

Also, I'm seriously considering and taking the first steps into getting a car. It is time.

Also, I registered for classes for next semester two nights ago. I am taking:

1. New Testament
2. Educating Students with Learning Disabilities in Secondary Education
3. Adolescent Development
4. Spanish-American Culture & Civilization
5. Second Language Acquisition
6. 3rd Year Spanish Composition

I may die next semester, but I don't have any classes Tuesdays. And only two classes Thursdays and Fridays. 

That is all for now!

Daughters of God. Represent!

I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father. I love Him and He loves me. I stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things, and in all places.

My Code of Life.

Inspired by Bronte's post today. Bronte is one of my favorite people ever. Go look.

"one day at work i started thinking about codes people write for themselves to live by, or just codes of things that they believe. i was wondering what it was exactly i lived by, and a couple nights ago this list was produced. (i meant to post it during the day but just didn't have time, so having time to blog is another upside of this whole insomnia thing :) )" -Bronte

So here goes the lengthy list.

"Melissa's Life Things"

I believe:

in using air freshener after you've pooped; no one likes to use a smelly bathroom!
in turning on the fan while you're showering; no one likes using a humid bathroom!
in sneezing into your sleeve or towards the ground, not your hands.
in playing music and singing LOUDLY in the shower.
in nighttime showers.
in daily showers.
in showers, period. I sure do mention them a lot.

in letting your hair air dry and be free!
in minimal makeup.

in laughing at myself rather than being embarrassed.
in waking up at ridiculously early hours in the morning to make the twenty minute drive to the beach back home and watch the sunrise with a good friend(s).
in natural light.
in the sky.
in the stars.
in smiles and belly-laughs.
in being confident, not overbearing.
in supporting and defending the musicians you listen to/enjoy.
that haters are going to hate no matter what.
in peanut butter, chocolate and bananas. In large amounts.
that spinach-based salads are worlds better than lettuce-based ones.
in trying all foods even if just once.
in Instagram.
in shallow depths of field: f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.6, f/1.8.
in good font.
that good quality is reason enough to splurge on clothes, shoes, bags, but not too much!
in feet-appreciation; they do so much for us!
in Black Friday shopping.
in crisp, overcast weather.
that Fall semester (September-December) is the BEST part of the year in every aspect.
in persistence.
in never, ever, ever giving up on people.
in Zumba.
in peaches.
in wearing bright colors.
in drinking water often.
in skim milk.
in braids.
in wearing skirts and dresses 97% of the time.
in saying "Thank you" often and sincerely.
in giving people honest compliments when due.
in all of God's creations... except I question the reason behind the blobfish's existence.
in spending time with good friends.
that having a few good, great, close friends is much better than having a ton of friends.
that everyone should strive to acquire a second language.
in doing the right thing no matter who is or isn't present.
in alone time.
in learning truth for yourself.
in caring for the earth.
in questioning everything in a modest, not overbearing way.
in morning and bedtime prayers, as well as the little in-between whisper-prayers throughout the day.
that the Bible AND the Book of Mormon are the words of God.
that something good can come out of any and every single situation.
that there is something beautiful to be learned from every culture, religion, person, or set of beliefs even if you don't agree with them as a whole.
in the Jesus in people- that there is good in e v e r y single person.
that Satan's main focus is on destroying and tainting the institute of families all over the world.
that Satan's other main focus is on the public education system, which is why I need to be a teacher.
in being a positive light, a force for good, a servant of God, and a disciple of Jesus Christ by BEING and DOING, not simply believing and hoping.
that my Savior, Jesus the Christ, lived, breathed, bled, suffered, died, and resurrected for me. For second, third, and fourth chances. So that I can become a new creation.
that people can change.
in rising above stereotypes.
in remaining steadfast and immovable in good things and the ultimate Good Himself, Jesus Christ.
in eternal life.
that Heavenly Father, God the Father, wishes for me to be as happy as He is and even be exactly like He is.
that Jesus Christ notices and remembers the unnoticed and forgotten.
that Heavenly Father listens to my prayers.
that Joseph Smith really did see God the Father and God the Son and was truly ordained by Christ Himself to restore Jesus Christ's Gospel on earth again.
in modern revelation.
in latter-day prophets.
that my life is a constant work in progress.

Our Savior's love.

God does not hate Nabisco for posting a photo of a gay pride Oreo cookie. God does not hate any single person that is a part of the LGBT community.

There is only one God and that same God loves every single person, being, and soul. In fact, He loves everyone perfectly, completely, indefinitely, and infinitely. God cannot love any single person that has lived, lives now, or will live any less or any more than He already does.

"No death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things, heights, depths, or creatures will ever separate us from God's love, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord." -Romans 8:37-39

Think about it.

♥ Melissa.

P.S.: If you're wondering what I'm referring to, please read/see this.