The new school year so far.

1. I adore my schedule. SO much.
2. My favorite, favorite, favorite class by far is Tagalog with Gng. Idos. She is the most adorable, round, cute Filipino ever. That class is SO fun and SO small (literally no more than ten people in the class), so it way chill and laid back and we get to really befriend each other and help each other out one-to-one. Learning this language is SO fulfilling and I'm picking it up SO fast (already being fluent in Spanish definitely helps). It is so beautiful in a non-traditional way.
3. By the end of this semester, I'll be trilingual! :D I've always wanted to say that.
4. My second favorite class HAS to be Biology. My teacher is your stereotypical crazy, nuts, mad science teacher. I love him. He helps me build on to my already-existant sense of wonder for nature and the Lord's creations. The book we're reading, The Diversity of Life (by E.O. Wilson) is fantastic, too. I am not selling that one back to the school.
5. My D&C class is almost at a tie with Biology. I love it so much, too. I've learned SO, so much. D&C section 76 is filled with crazy revelation and my teacher is such a dedicated, faithful, diligent man. He always urges us to learn by the Spirit and to earnestly pray that God may reveal Himself to us through His Word.
6. My voice teacher for my private voice lessons is AWESOME. And he is a current Vocal Performance major. He is SO dedicated and ready to help me get ready for auditions of the Vocal Performance major in January. I'm SO excited. Plus, the first song he's given me to learn is fantastic, Se Tu M'ami. I love singing in Italian. He's also helping me re-learn how to breathe properly and fully.
7. My University Chorale class is wonderful, too. For the first time ever, I have been placed as an Alto in a choir, but I ain't even mad. I'm honestly really excited to be working on my lower range, even though I'm only an Alto 1. Altos are so strong <3
8. My Intro to Digital Photography class is probably my least favorite, but that's not a bad thing. I enjoy this class so much. I just have so many WONDERFUL classes this year! We're going deep into the Adobe Creative Suite 5 program (Photoshop, Bridge and Lightroom) and I'm so excited to learn so much in this class! This past Thursday we spent two hours JUST learning and playing around with the selection tools in Photoshop; so intense! I'm trying to keep all these Mac keyboard shortcuts in my head to use them at home, since I also have CS5 and a Macbook Pro. I LOVE everyone in that class; it's basically Intro to B&W Photo all over again with some additions (Jess, Alex [serving a mission] and Tyson aka Tyron aren't there, though). I usually sit by Logan and Jocelyn. It's nice getting to know people I didn't know too well before.
9. I have Laci in THREE of my classes. I met her last year in my Intro to B&W Film class last semester/year, she's also in the Photography program, and I really didn't get to know her well at all, but now I have Intro to Digital Photo, D&C AND University Chorale with her! It's fun :)
10. Can I just say that I am SO glad I didn't choose to room/live with anyone I knew beforehand? I am SO glad. I got SO lucky with my new apartment and new roommates. First off, I love my apartment. Second off, Ashley, Sarah and Liz are all so fantastic. We mesh SO well together. We're all so weird but great. I'm a fan.
11. Plus, I love my ward. I really do. And not rooming with people I know pushes me to step out of my comfort zone and meet people.
12. There's this guy in my ward, Blake Risenmay (is that NOT the cutest last name ever!?) that served with Jason Rodrigues in Lisbon. He says he's doing fantastic and is a zone leader. I am SO proud of Jason! :)
13. I am SO happy Kat lives so close to me! We talk about missing Mark all the time and laugh together all the time and see each other at least once a week. It makes me happy.
14. I HATE this hot, hot, hot, dry weather. Can Fall and Winter just come already so I can bundle up and not sweat 24/7? Thanks.
15. A goal of mine this school year is to mail a birthday gift to each of my family members; my brother turned 18 on September 3rd and he being an aspiring theatre/dramatic/creative writing or screenwriting major, I decided to give him the give of literature at its finest by mailing him a sweet birthday letter, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (my absolute favorite author) and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (another favorite). Next month is my mom's birthday (on Halloween!) and I already have an idea of what to get her. There are many other birthdays, but a highlight is my baby sister's, turning 8! She'll be baptized this school year, so that's a pretty big deal (:

Life is pretty darn fantastic. I am missing my family, Nelly, Jackie and Chris, though, but three months will fly and I will be with them again for two weeks of Christmas break :) I can't wait!

♥ Melizza.