Lazy days of summer?

Hello there.

Forgive me for not blogging recently, but summer in Santa Barbara
has been so wonderful and relaxing and...

Productive??
I guess I should tell you about all the goals I have been accomplishing...

Three to be exact ;)

Firstly, this summer and fall I am accomplishing goal

#096: Assist in Research at UCSB.

I kind of hate the fact that UCSB has this crazy party school reputation.

Yeah, students here certainly know how to let loose,

(hah. In more ways than one)

but MAN are they smart!  This school is ranked as the 11th best public 

university by US News & World Report, has five Nobel Prize winners as faculty members,

has the 2nd best communication program in the country, and 

and is reported have more satisfied students than any other UC campus.

So take that!

I am not one to let great opportunities pass me by, so when I found out that 

UCSB also happens to be one of the largest research institutions in the country,

I decided that I would never forgive myself if I didn't get involved in some way. 

I contacted a teacher I had last quarter, Professor Linda M. Putnam,

who actually created a fundamental theory in the world of communication,

and now I am spending my summer days researching the 

2007 Writer's Guild of America strike and how "new media" was involved.
Hooray for the advancement of knowledge!

IN OTHER NEWS,

You may have laughed when you saw that my list included

#085: Run a mile without stopping.

Yeah.. embarrassing.

Its just that, the last time I remember actually "running a mile" was in middle school,

and I KNOW I stopped to take a breather every now and again. 

However, like the dummy I am, I forgot to take into account the fact that I

was a high school athlete when I was making the list for my Day Zero Project.

 I may not have been "running miles", but with volleyball in the summer & fall 

and softball in the winter & spring, hell weeks, two-a-days, and 5 AM practices,

I was getting an insaneee workout. 

Going to college and not playing sports has been really weird for me; I feel like

I have had to recreate my entire identity. I've taken volleyball classes

here at UCSB just because I miss it so dang much and even yoga classes

just to remain active. Last quarter I wasn't taking any physical education classes,

so I started going to the gym (did I mention that UCSB is the most physically fit

campus in the country?). 

Long story short, I have been running 2-4 miles at the gym every time I go,

depending on how long I am there. I just realized that today, actually.

And I thought this was going to be one of the hard goals! 

Last but not least, I was looking over my list

when I realized that I accomplished a goal a while ago and forgot to tell you about it,

#067: Contact and thank an old teacher.

Do you remember when one of my high school teachers

sent me a letter that I wrote to myself in 10th grade? 

Which prompted me to, once again, write a letter to my future self?

I emailed her. I thought it was so sweet that she followed through

with her promise, when the entire class most likely forgot all about it.

I also emailed Dr. Mark Rose, an English professor at UCSB. 

I have taken three classes that he taught... all of which were about Shakespeare.

He may or may not have ignited a teeny obsession I now have for Old Willy. 

Seriously, Dr. Rose was great, and if anyone out there goes to UCSB,

I highly recommend that you take one of his classes! 

Well, not that this hasn't been fun or anything,

but this is where we say goodbye. I am pretty sure I made myself

look like such a nerd, but I can't really tell because I am literally

fighting to keep my eyelids open. Peace out everyone ♥

Oh William...

So you probably do not know this but,

I am kind of obsessed

with Shakespeare.

I have always secretly loved reading his plays in high school,

I took a Shakespeare class last year,

I am currently enrolled in one,

and I am planning to take one next quarter, as well.

I admit, it can be pretty difficult to read/understand at times...

but I am convinced that the beauty in his language is one that no longer exists today.

And I wish it did :(

One of my beautiful roommates (believe me, I have many) was required to watch

a performance of Love's Labour's Lost by William Shakespeare

at the Granada theater in downtown Santa Barbara for her Theater class.

So of course I went with her. Oh, and we were accompanied by

another gorgeous girl. 'Cause that's how we roll!

The thing is, we all forgot to bring cameras hahaha.

But that's what camera phones are for, right?!

Watching this play means I accomplished

#062. Go to a performance of a Shakespeare play

And it was so worth it. I have always heard that it is pointless

to read Shakespeare because his plays were not meant to be read --

they were meant to be performed. And now, having watched one, I completely agree.

Watching one of his works come to life was A M A Z I N G.

I don't think simply reading it could have captured the humor, the wit,

and especially not the blatant perversity that we had the opportunity to witness.

Andddd now you all know what a big nerd i am. Son of a gun.

Seriously though, if you ever get the chance to watch one of his plays, DO IT.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

After the play, we went to the Taj Indian Restaurant (nom nom nom),

and then changed into hobo clothes to watch Shakespeare in Love at home.

Gwyneth Paltrow is adorable in that movie, btw.

New life goal: see a performance of Romeo and Juliet.

That is all! I have a rough week ahead :/

Take two exams and write two papers. Ugghh...

♥