Observations

Remember the 1968 Franco Zeffirelli movie version of "Romeo and Juliet", the one regularly watched in high schools with Romeos bare butt and a little more of Juliet, if you know what I mean? Well its hard to miss the fact that Romeo (Leonard Whiting) looks an AWFUL lot like Zac Efron. See below.





Now the most interesting part of this whole observation is what Romeo looks like now. Well actually, this photo was taken in 1995, so a mere 30 years later. Imagine what he looks like now!



If only the population knew what Zac would look like in 40 years, we would all let Vanessa have him (if she still wanted him) and girls everywhere would cry tears of pain and sorrow.

Finals: A Guide

So Finals are upon us, and I decided to write a little help guide, because...well i'm really good at studying :)


TO DO:
1. Study. Nuff said.

2.Take a break, you should take about 10 minutes every hour. Stretch your legs, eyes and brain. Power walk up and down the library stairs while eating your mandarin orange/broccoli/fruit snacks. This is when you can text your friends/parents/special friend.

3. Eat good food. I.e. Fruits and Vegetables. Not only are they good for your body, but for your brain too!! Plus those cute mandarin oranges are in season and boy are they yummy, and added plus, if you don't have time to shower (see NOT TO DO # 7) they make your hands smell good all day! Plus they are very light and transportable. And cheap. Also, an apple a day keeps the bad grades away. (Ok that is suuuper lame, but really, apples. Eat them.)

4. GET ENOUGH SLEEP!!! Seriously. Eight hours and your brain will think better and faster. That extra hour of studying is NOT worth it.

5. Make people happy. Helping others relieves your stress and makes you happy too!!


NOT TO DO:
1. Facebook. Shut it down for the week, day, hour, whatever is necessary. It is a time waster (like I have to tell you that). Turn off your internet if you have to, just resist it. You can catch up with your friends engagement/baby pictures next week. Also, if you are a farmviller just stop playing altogether. Its a waste of time outside of finals week, so I don't see it helping during finals either.

2. Shopping online. You can rationalize this by buying Christmas gifts, books for next semester or warm clothes for the cold front approaching. I repeat, you CAN rationalize this, but you really shouldn't.

3. Write blogs. This also includes the category of blog stalking/reading, which you are now doing. But you can keep reading, just this once, but only because I fall in this category right now, too.

4. Texting. This is such an easy pit to fall in. Avoid it. Turn off your phone. If you will have a nervous break down at the mention of turning off your phone, go to the bottom floors of the library so you have no reception. Phone - still on; texts - not coming in. You may feel like a loser, but you'll get a lot of studying done. Added bonus: feeling pretty cool getting 5 texts at once when you leave. Or maybe that's just me...

5. DO NOT talk on your phone in the library. Seriously, everyone hates you and laughs at your stupid conversations with your mom. We don't want to know about your finals, what you want for Christmas or your health problems. If it is urgent, which I doubt, go into an uninhabited area and whisper, otherwise just take it outside. Or better, wait until you are out of the library or in your apartment.

6. Fast food/ Energy Drinks. Granted, these are convenient and have their advantages, but do not help your brain think or retain knowledge (see TO DO #3).

7. Forget to shower. Nothing is so important that you can't find time to shower. Nothing. Smelly = Bad Grades. My showers are always my friends. They wake me up late at night when I need a study break. While shampooing I always have epiphany's about the work that I am doing (I suggest getting some shower markers or bringing a pen and paper to set down somewhere accessible, so you don't forget your ideas). You can use them as a time to rest your brain, or to focus harder on your studies.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Reasons To Live.

Here follow some versus upon the realization of my "raison d'etre"

1. Arizona. See this picture? February. If that's not inspiring I don't know what is. Note the short sleeved and bare legged-ness.


2. Hare Krishna Festival of Colors.


3. OOOOLD PICTURES. Like 2005 old. Oh, and green Target outdoor furniture.


4. Chris Kattan (at least the back of his head). Corky Romano anyone?


5. My Snuggie. See how happy I am???


6. Snoop D O double G. Nuff said.


7. Democracy.


8. Jumping Pictures a la High School Musical


9. Dressing up like Anna Karenina in a big fancy Russian coat.


10. Defacing residences only to live in them in the future. I.E. The Nudist Colony.


11. Creepy old men who turn out to be your sister.

Knitting Needles

Danielle, Kelli and Lauren
Dressed as gangsters for my birthday party 2 years ago.

I recently remembered a story which I have not sufficiently shared. It follows hence:

A few weeks ago I was visiting California and was talking to my little sister Lauren and her two best friends Kelli and Danielle (who are sisters, 12 and 15 respectively). All three are hilarious and pretty crazy, but in a good way. So Danielle was talking about how she had just pierced her guy friends ear (I'm hoping it was not his lobe because there is always the confusion about which side means gay or straight) and Kelli all of a sudden got a very concerned look and said "Danielle, that is so not safe! What if he gets AIDS?!?!?!?!?!" We look at her and are laughing, but more out of confusion than anything when she continues, "SHARING NEEDLES!!!" To which we all burst into laughter and Danielle says "Not THAT kind of needles Kelli!!!" At least we know Kelli has been properly educated not to share needles, no matter the kind, and hopefully will never get AIDS.

Another story about Kelli and Danielle just because I might as well while I'm here. About 5 years ago we were all hanging out (yup, Kelli, Danielle and Lauren are just so cool, I always want to hang out with them) and What Not To Wear was on in the background, and I made a comment how attractive I thought Clinton was from the show. The girls proceed to tell me how gross that was, and how old he was etc. I figured they were young and they would see the errors of their youth in time. But as we continued talking I started to get the picture they didn't know who I was talking about and vice versa. Then Danielle asks "Wait BILL CLINTON?!?!?!" Needless to say, they thought I was going Monica Lewinsky on them. Which I was/am not.

2009

Sometimes, when I write the date in class, I look at 2009 and realize that this is the last year I can make easy eyes out of the zeros, and I think I have wasted nine years of doodling, and now I only have a few months left of the goodness. What will I do in 2010?

Thinks.

Today I decided I will name my son Chris. Then when he is young we can call him Little Chris, which sounds like Ludacris. So either I will help start his career as a great rapper, or he will just have a really sweet nick name.

Long Time

So, since I haven't blogged in a LONG time! I decided to write a blog describing different elements of my summer....


1. I drove my friend Craig's boat up the Potomac River and saw the Pentagon and the Watergate hotel. Lauren also got to drive his boat. And Craig isn't really my friend, he's my dads business friend. I have pictures, but they're all at home. Sorry.

2. I went to the 8th Bi-annual Margaret Cavendish Conference in Corvallis, Oregon! "Not HOBBES!!" It was the best, ever. This is Averyl, Ashley, me, Carolyn and Brandie Siegfried, the coolest woman alive. We worship her, in a not-creepy way, most of the time.


3. My friend, Carolyn, (see above) told me about Dallas Clayton, so I went to his website and read all of his poetry. Go there, it will probably change your life-- dallasclayton.com

4. I went swimming. Quite a lot.

5. I saw Wicked and Shrek the Musical in New York. Shrek was actually hilarious. And Lord Farquad was the dad from the Mary Kate and Ashley show "It Takes Two", and last time we went to New York, in 2002, we saw him in Into the Woods. It was Fate.

6. I read the Picture of Dorian Gray, which I was actually supposed to read in high school, but I just sparknoted it back then. ("sparknoted" is a verb now) So i decided to fulfill that requirement, only 3 ish years later. And I loved it, like a lot! And there is a movie that just came out with Prince Caspian and Collin Firth, but its only in the UK, which blows.

7. I had an 80's Birthday Party! It was fan-freakin-tastic! Plus, I turned 21. I have good pictures, but again, Erin has them all. So, one day you'll see some.

8. I fell in love with the cutest kids alive. And I miss them. We liked to play Harry Potter, complete with robes and glasses, haha, and I gave the comedic performance of a lifetime being Professors Snape, Flitwick, Sprout, McGonogal and Trewlaney. They also taught me more about the Giants than I will ever know again.

This is mark, he is one. And he is a total doll.

This is Joshua, he is almost 3, and that is his favorite shirt. He loves to play castles and pirates.

This is Natalie, she is 5, and she is a ham and loves attention. She tells the funniest stories.
This is Matthew, 7. He is an amazing baseball player. He also loves to wrestle with Joshua.

This is Nicole, 9, she is so sweet, and she is waiting for everyone else to be ready to play Harry Potter.

9. I went Kareokeeing and sang "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit. It was awful, or rather I was awful, the night was awesome.

10. I got a henna tattoo, much to my moms chagrin, but she came around.

11. I took Lauren and Annie to the river, and we had an off the cuff photo shoot of Lauren, this is my favorite picture, she is like really, more?

12. Eric had a Twilight Black and White Party, and we took pictures and he changed us into Vampires. I stole this picture from Erics blog, because I love it. And i personally think my picture is the best, because I look scary, like I'm about to suck your blood, haha.

13. I had a blast this summer, but I am so glad to be back at school. This sounds lame, but I love learning! Oh, funny story, my best friend Rachel's mom told my mom that if she really wanted to know what was going on in my life she should read my blog. I laughed a lot. Mostly, because well, she already knows everything. And actually, upon getting my blog she said "blogs are for losers" thanks mom. :)

Also, go see 500 Days of Summer. The end.

18 months.

SO i usually plan out my posts and make them a grand adventure and perfectly perfect, but seeing as i havent posted in a while, and i feel like i need to soon, this will be very small. My family is leaving today (technically) to go to New York to pick up my favorite sister missionary, my sister ERIN!!! she is the coolest. tonight at fhe i was sad when i saw hayley and ashley having some sister lovin because it made me miss her! im excited to have her back but its going to be weird, now that its so close i begin to think that i really could have her gone for a full 2 years like the boys. but i know that if she still had 6 months to go i would not be a happy camper. ok, random ramblings.

But im super dee duper excited.

and vaness would be mad at me because i found some jason mraz christmas music and im totally listening to it right now, because duh, its jason mraz. haha. and i just found some where he sings in spanish! who knew??

YAY ITS MAY! ...I mean...June.

Here are some of my summer obsessions (or rather, stuff I really like this summer)...

3. Country Music -- something about being back in Tracy just brings back my love of keith, rascal flatts, carrie and good ol kenny chesney.
4. Stanford -- I went to do some research at the University and I decided that I want to go there for Grad School. Its perfect especially because I'm white :) Plus, their mascot is a tree. And we all know that nothing beats a tree.
   
5. Jason Mraz -- now, if you know me, which you all do, you are probably saying to yourself, or to the computer screen, Dana this is not a new obsession. You, my friend, would be correct. This is not a new obsession, but it has molded into something more like this...reading his blogs...following him on twitter...watching tons of his concert videos on youtube (which are crappy quality and provide no real sustainable happiness)...adding every thing on his websites store that I don't already have to my "shopping cart", knowing that I cant have it all...and looking up tour dates every day, and every day refreshing the pain of knowing it is physically impossible for me to attend. (insert tears of pain here). Oh, and I almost forgot the part where I cry myself to sleep at night.
6. Renaissance Art -- This is roughly what my research is about which I'm doing for the conference at OSU in two weeks, so its kinda taking over my life! :)
   
7. Shakespeare on film -- For my mom's birthday I asked her what she wanted and she said to me, how about you get every Shakespeare movie you want, because I like to give. And I said, for your birthday? Ok, deal! And I did it quick before she could change her mind. Little did she realize that there are hundreds of versions of Shakespeare on film. Muwahahaha. So I showed her like 30 that I wanted, and she said, how about we only a few month...So we bought 6 (including Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, with Gary Oldman, which i conned her into, because "technically" its not a Shakespeare. But, almost.). And if you're a fan of James MacAvoy and love Macbeth, I have the best version for you! Let me know :) Haha. This is not a joke.
8. This -- haha. i know, its ridiculous. but i don't care.
9. "So You Think You Can Dance" -- no explanation necessary. But I'm going to give you one anyway. 20 dancers. 3 judges. Lots of amazing choreographers. 1 host. It's just a crazy good time.
   
10. Last but not least, THE SUN!! -- I love you, sun. You bring me joy and freckles :)

16 again?

Last night my dad told me to stop acting 16 and start acting my age. Blerg.

"A pirate shot me in the eye!"

So I came back from Disneyland with the SWINE FLU!!! AHH!! haha, just kidding. I did get sick, though, its just not the swine flu. well, I guess that's not totally confirmable (which is not a word) since i haven't seen a doctor. but i digress.

Disneyland was super fun! I even got to see my best friend from elementary school AIMEE ANKENY! and her little brother ALEX! YAY! I hadnt seen them for 6 years or something crazy like that. So it was super fun to see them! They told me lots of insider Disneyland things because they work there. And we are planning on meeting up again at Harry Potter land in Universal Studios when it opens in a year or so. She looks just the same, in case you were wondering.

Here is something funny I heard in a disneyland clothing store, there were three black girls and they were there for a school thing...
"I need to buy those pajamas though, because what if the hotel room is really cold?"
"Girl! Thats what the SHEETS are for!"

Being back in Disneyland brings back my first memories of going there. The first time I remember being at Disneyland is when Erin, Molli and my dad and I went for my dads work, back when he worked for Mervyn's. We lived in Livermore, so i was in 2nd or 3rd grade. On the way there I remember listening to the opening song from the Lion King about a million times, and also watching Return of Jafar as many times as my sisters would let me. I guess I've always been a Disney girl through and through. But i remember distinctly being on Pirates of the Caribbean and one of the pirates with a water gun shot me in the eye!! I was very distraught. My mom says that the first thing I told her about Disneyland was that a pirate shot me in the eye. It was just not fair. I also remember being on Indiana Jones and thinking first, that the snake was going to eat me, and second that we were going to fall into the lava and die. But I had a blast and then we got to meet Joe Montana! It was awesome!

A little over a year ago when I went I saw my first reindeer...and I realized that reindeer's were real animals. Who knew??

You're smothering me to smitherines!

I'm Home!! Woot! Last night at FHE we learned some sign language. I am signing to you, "Whats your name" and "awkward" right now. haha.

So I started reading The Cats Pajamas by Ray Bradbury (a collection of short stories) and Anna Karenina today, and I'm pretty intimidated. Anna is pretty long, and its also by Tolstoy. Those Russian authors really send shivers up my spine. I have a feeling I'll love it though. So I'll let y'all know. Oh, but last night I finished "From the mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler", for the RS book club :) It's a really cute, quick and fun read about two kids who run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its my first book club and I'm pretty excited, I just hope the other ladies are as into books as I am. We'll see :) I have a huge list of books I am going to read this summer, I just hope I get around to all of them, and don't fall back into my rut like I did for half of last summer. So even though I have a long list of books I want to read, I can always use more, so what are your favorite books? I'm not too picky so recommend anything!

What else, its been kinda chilly at home, like I have to wear a sweater. Not acceptable, right!? But that's mostly because its so windy here! And I need to cut my bangs. And, surprise! I'm going to Disneyland this weekend! I had no idea until a few days ago, and I am so excited! So I'll tell you about that when we get back :)

Now, here's a picture (or two or more) from the last time i was at Disneyland...

I <3 Pictures

So Lauren came out to visit me and while she was here we decided to go to the coolest place in Utah...EAST HIGH!!!





and i am coming home in a week ish!! HAHA. so here are some pictures that make me excited to come home...





















AND Finally, things that will make me sad to leave Provo...






















And most of all i'll miss my amazing roommates val and michelle who are going to Oklahoma and Paris on their missions, respectively!!!