Photography update.

I'm currently taking Classical Portrait Photography and Intro to Color Photography with Val. These two classes, particularly the Portrait class, cause the most stress in my life but are also the result of crazy growth and discovery.

Portraiture: Low Key {Bronte}

Color: Contrast of Hues {Bronte}

Note: I received my first A in the class with this photo. You cannot imagine how ecstatic I was about it. Val was so pleased with it!

Portraiture: On-location Ratio lighting {Heidi}

Color: Saturation vs. Desaturation {Heidi}

Note: Val called this one "Dynamite!"- it's his thing to say when he's especially pleased with a photo. The only negative was that he wished the eyes were more in focus and that he wants me to re-do it. Don't mind if I do.

Can I just say that I love my two Washington women? So very much.

♥ Melizza.

P.S.: "Nothing worth having comes easy."

Random news:

• Two days ago, I was approved for a student credit card! Woohoo for building up credit and growing up!
• I can't believe we've only been in school for two weeks.
• I ADORE MY SCHEDULE SO MUCH. There is not a single class I am taking that I don't love.
• LDS Marriage & Family with Brother Goodman (with whom I took Mission Prep freshman year) is my teacher and wow. Just wow.
• I love being sore. Is that weird? No. Sarah (my roommate) agrees with me. It's that good sore when you know you've been working hard. In my case, dancing hard. I LOVE my Contemporary Dance class. I am always sweating bullets afterward. And sore.
• I am working ALL day Friday. And I mean ALL day: 10a-9p and that isn't even including closing, which takes longer.
• I am working Saturday night, too. With Sarah, of course! I work Fridays with her, too.
• Liz, Sarah and I are absolutely LOVING living together. Now that we know each other, we are getting along ridiculously well. I love them so much. We're praying about finding an apartment (staying in the ward boundaries, hopefully) where we can all three live together (but we want to move out of this one).
• Speaking of praying, we've started apartment prayer. Sarah and I thought of it. Our minds are ridiculously in sync this semester, it's weird. Apartment prayer usually only consists of Sarah, Liz and I because Ashley's always with Oliver (they are dating).
• I have been eating peanut butter sandwiches every night for dinner the past few nights. And no, I'm not going to plead the lame "I'm a poor college student" excuse; I have money to buy food and I buy good food. PB sandwiches are all I want to eat for dinner! It's weird! It's because I eat two granola bars throughout the day as lunch; my body, however, craves PB sandwiches for lunch, and me not giving my body PB sandwiches results in me eating them later in the day.
• Today, I forced myself to eat broccoli-cheddar soup, though. Yay me!
• This Portrait Photo class is DEFF pushing me out of my element; it's all in the studio (for the most part) and working with lights. BUT IT IS SO, SO FUN!
• I should probably go to sleep. It's 12.30 am, I still have studying to do, and I have to wake up for a 9 am class. And no, I will not plead the lame "I never get any sleep because I'm a college student" excuse; I SLEEP WELL! Minus Tuesdays and Thursdays, my long days.
• I need to buy more milk, more orange juice, more bread, more granola bars, more grapes and tomatoes, red and green peppers. Hurray for healthy eating!
• It really is SO important to whole-heartedly do daily scripture study and pray on your knees multiple times a day; I have been finding myself relying on it more than ever these past two weeks- not because I have some major issues or problems and not because I need to check it off my "list", but because I want to. I sincerely want to and it's filling my heart with that desire more and more. God is just revealing such amazing, great things in my life and teaching me so much. It's unreal.
• I adore Indian food. It's probably my favorite.
• "Because I have been given much, I too must give."
• I just really love my life.
• It's ridiculous how much I love my life.
• I am so thankful God gave me life.

I treat this blog as a journal of sorts, if you haven't noticed. I enjoy it very much.

♥ Melizza.

New job!

Saturday night I officially worked for the first time at my new job: Tokyo Sweets.


Located in the Provo Towne Center's food court, it serves Japanese desserts that are DELICIOUS.


We have banana tempura (tempura: Japanese battered and deep fried goodness), Oreo tempura, cheesecake tempura, brownie tempura, tempura ice cream, mochi ice cream, Ramune, Hello Panda, Hi-Chew, Calpico, Pocky, Milkita pops, regular ice cream, and tons of other stuff.


It's extra awesome because:

1. My sister and brother-in-law own the place.
2. I took all the photos hanging up on the wall, serving as the menu.

In all seriousness, though, I really do enjoy working there and I really enjoy working period. It feels good: I'm being productive, I'm helping a business out (specifically my sister and brother-in-law), and I make money. I haven't worked a consistent, hourly-wage job since I worked at Cold Stone back home for a year and a half... a year and a half ago. It's been a while.


I'm also working with my roommate, Sarah, so that makes things extra awesome.


Now, what to do with this money? I can:


a) Save up for a car.
b) Save up for a mission.
c) Save up for a new camera body/lens.
d) Save up for a wedding/honeymoon (not that it's happening soon, but I should still probably save up hahah).
e) Save up for an iPhone (although this is most likely not the wisest of the five).


♥ Melizza.


P.S.: COME VISIT ME! I work Friday and Saturday nights after 4 pm.