Not much of a blogger

I'm not much of a blogger.

I would like to be a better one. I keep journals. I'm not very good at that either.

As time goes by I seem to live more and more in the moment.

Every now and then I like to document my thoughts, where I'm at in life, but I don't think I say anything that would be of much interest to others...at least through my blog I mean.

I do enjoy looking through other blogs from time to time for inspiration. Whether I am inspired through words, fashion, cooking, or traveling it's fun to escape for a bit :)

ME UPDATE IN A BULLET POINT LIST

*I am cast in my first show with a professional company, and VERY excited.
*I wish I could find a job that I enjoy or I feel passionate about like I do for acting ( at least until I'm making money with my acting!)
*I love my best friends
*I feel so fortunate to have restored a love that was lost years ago
*I love my boyfriend
*I have the most supportive and loving family I could ever ask for and I miss them dearly
*I love my parents new kittens Nubs and Stella
*I will be moved into my new home in 4 days, thank god.
*I wish I could cook
*I wish money didn't matter
*I want to travel to beautiful places
*I'm thankful for life, I have learned to trust that hard times always get better.

I'm excited for every new day :)

Summer time has started

I am back home for the rest of May to spend time with my family and Corey for a couple weeks until I start a new job and internship in LA for the rest of summer. What an exhausting semester, I am so happy we all made it through AND so far I have all A's so I'm hoping that streak continues!

Novato looks more beautiful every time that I'm home. There's so much green and color everywhere as you drive around town, sitting on my couch and looking out over the water in the morning, laughing and talking with my whole family over dinner, and driving to Corey's and kissing under a starry sky!!! I'm so happy that home is always such a happy, comforting, and wonderful place!

I found the funnest little book in my house called "Rules of Thumb: A Life Manual" and it has hundreds and hundreds of 'rules of thumb' and the funniest and most helpful little tips so I thought over my cup of hazelnut coffee I would share a few I liked :)

Green Living
BRING-YOUR-MUG-TO-WORK Day
Keeping a washable mug at your desk can save as many as 500 disposable paper or plastic cups a year.

Pets
CHOOSING A CALM PUPPY
Pick a puppy whose tail wags in sync with its walk.

the arts
STAGING A MODEST PLAY
Squint while examining your stage. If any prop or color pops out, tone it down.


Business and sales
THE GO-TO GUY
if you really need something done, ask a busy person.


conversation and body language
FABULOUS FIBBING
When lying, don't explain too much. And remember that odd numbers are more believable than even numbers.

Health and body
CRACKING YOUR KNUCKLES
You have to wait 30 minutes after cracking your knuckles to crack them again. That's how long it takes for the vaporized joint fluid to go back into the solution.

Safety and survival
ESCAPING A CROCODILE ATTACK
Zigzag to outrun a crocodile.

Conversation and body language
GREAT MINDS LAUGH ALIKE
At a party or public event, any person who laughs spontaneously at the same time you do is worth cultivating as a friend.

Conversation and body language
KEEPING PEOPLE AT BAY
Crossing your arms will make you less apt to be approached.

Health and body
POPPING M&M'S
Fifty-four M&M's have the same caffeine content as two cups of coffee.

Animals and Wildlife
ELEPHANT EARS
The African elephant has ears shaped like Africa. The Indian elephant has ears shaped like India.

;^P

Afternoon Thoughts

Sometimes it's so nice to break from your every day routine.

I get to go home for the weekend and I can't wait!

San Francisco, The Boyfriend, Family, My house, home cooked meals, the water!

Lately I wish I baked, delicious little made up muffins and cupcakes.




I also have this love for French music and movies.

I just download a couple songs from the soundtrack to An Education after seeing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNBO0pYyKKI

This Movie always makes me happy :)

Inspiration Entertainment

This show is a true inspiration for anybody.

This is the best television show I have seen in years, once you start watching you can't stop because these guys achieve in a week what most of us hope to achieve at least once in our life.

The question of "what would you do if you had one day to live?" and then the reality of people not going for their dreams and goals because they don't think its practical or possible is absurd...

This show is a perfect representation of that fact that IT IS POSSIBLE, any one is capable of ANYTHING...make your life something to be proud of, to feel fulfilled, thankful, and MORE THAN content

My Buried life List:

#1 Be a Contemporary dancer
#2 Learn how to Skateboard
#3 Backpack around Europe for a Summer
#4 Perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
#5 Do the Splits
#6 Sing in front of a crowd of people
#7 Play a role in a movie or TV show at least once
#8 Act at a Professional Theatre in a Big City
#9 Marry my true match
#10 Speak another language fluently

What do you want to do before you die?

TAKE ME BACK!

All I can think about lately is traveling. I want to get on a plane and go somewhere beautiful and different. Amazing food Unbelievable scenery Good people!

For now I'll just have to revisit pictures...

But I'll be back ;)


(Hvar, Croatia)


(Venice, Italy)


(View from my room in Hvar) Too bad the view from my room in LA is someone else's view.


(Outside our Room in Rovinj,Croatia)


(Walking the cobble stone pathways in Rovinj)


I miss coming home SUPER tan. haha ;^P

Well World, I hope I get to see more of you soon, hopefully with Siera and Corey by my sides <3

Case of the Mondays...

I've been sitting in front of that view for hours now. I'm trying to be a responsible College student, study for exams, find sources for research papers, or just use my spare time wisely, but I am so distracted and bored by these sort of things...



Please Motivation Inspiration Determination Actualization Realization find me!



...I'd like to start feeling like this...



Thanks :)

Thankful for YOU

I want you to know how thankful I am to have you.

You make me excited for the future.

You put my mind and body at ease.

You make me feel protected, happy, and loved.

You get along with my best friends.

You fit just right, right next to me :)

"I love you more than the Moon loves the sky!"

"And how might I ask do you know the moon loves the sky and that you, my dear, love it more?"

"Because the moon visits the sky every night, but I love you more because unlike the moon, I would never leave you."

Happy 21st Birthday babe xoxo

That summer feeling

Blogging before school while eating my cereal and in my grungy PJs doesn't give me a lot of time BUT I have been waiting for a moment when I had a feeling of " I just need to write this in my blog!" So I'm going for it...

I'm having one of those mornings where I have that FEELING of summertime, not just the it's kinda sunny and warm outside feeling but that REALLY good happy feeling you got when you were 10 and you were let out for summer vacation. SOOOO while this amazing feeling lasts in my body...which will probably go away when I leave for class I wanted to make a list of things that I look forward to this summer:.... ;)

* Stay in LA for the first time hanging with my bestie best SIERA and her awesome FAM BAM

* Corey coming down and beginning to transfer his life down here :^D

* finding an awesome summer job, that I don't MIND going to so that I can save up money and do fun things like DISNEYLAND and mini roadtrips!

* Finding outdoorsey stuff like Movies at the Hollywood cemetery or concerts in the park

* Cut and dye my hair! I want a new and refreshed me

*I want to go for sunset walks and night time swims in the pool ( Siera that means yours!)

*To sleep in with my cutie by my side <3

*To watch LOTS of movies and rent all the TV shows I don't watch during the semester and just have long marathons all day long

*To sketch, draw, paint, and photograph more

*Go through my "How to be an explorer of the World" book and do what it says

* Go thrift shop shopping and find some really cool clothes and things for around my apartment

*TRAVEL TO EUROPE!!!! and bring Siera and Corey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay so I gotta leave for school but that was my very Quick Spontaneous to remember the way I felt in this moment Blog.

Bye Bye til next time ;)

Let's begin again...

Today is the LAST day of my winter break before a WHOLE NEW semester begins!

I'm excited to "begin again"...That's sort of been the theme of 2010 for my life so far. Something about this new years ( and I think there are multiple factors as to why) has made me so excited to begin this new year, I feel refreshed, inspired, almost empowered...like the world is at my finger tips!

2009 felt like the year that was all about setting up 2010 to make sure I had all my ducks in a row...I eliminated the factors in my life that were only bringing in negativity or holding me back, I found the most important people in my life who make me happy, and inspire me to be a better and truer me.

After a few years of some unfortunate choices and experiences in the Romantic genre of Dana's world, I have wound up with the one person who I think fits me better than anyone else ever could. I kept telling myself that when the right one came along I would just know. I wouldn't have to push or force anything to happen, I wouldn't have to question or go against any morals or bad feelings...it would just WORK, and it would feel RIGHT.

And now I have you :) And you are more wonderful than I could have imagined.

It took a past history of ups and downs for us, separation and then a brand new beginning but every part of it brought us to where we are now, and I couldn't be more thankful for that. You make me so happy, just knowing you're there.

The waiting game sucks, its a lonely, foggy road where you can only see a few steps in front of you, sometimes it feels like the fog will never clear but when it does, you want to turn around and look your past self in the eyes and say " Relax! It's gonna be OKAY."

So my motto for this semester is " LET'S BEGIN AGAIN"

My goals and what I look forward to:

1. New classes with new professors and new knowledge
2. The Irene Ryan Festival, just making it there and competing with confidence
3. Making it into The Waiting Room, or even just Siera, she deserves this more than anyone I know...I mean it...not just because you are my best friend and you read my blog, but because you are so talented and this school needs to see you shine like I know you do.
4. Being with the best boyfriend I could ever have, just being happy, and waking up with a smile knowing I have you in my life.

Here we go 2010, let's get to business ;)

All I know

"Oh, it's taken so long
I could be wrong, I could be ready..."

All I know is
1. I'm happy
2. I never stop smiling when I'm with you
3. After more than 5 years of knowing you, you still make my heart race
4. I'm absolutely crazy about you
5. I don't know all the answers but I know how I feel and my feelings for you shine through my every smile lately.

So amongst everything in life that we don't have figured out, everything we wish we had, and everything we wish could somehow be different.

I just want to say Thank You for coming back into my life.

Low down on the Home town

Alright it's been 3 days and I'm startin that Winter Break To Do List :) I saw "The Fantastic Mr.Fox" which was fantastically fun to watch. I love Wes Anderson films, he's like Time Burton in the way that you instantly know it's HIS work when you're watching it. His cinematography, dialogue, music, and characters are all so quirky and wonderful. I saw an older movie that I hadn't seen before last night, "Six degrees of Separation" which was incredibly interesting. One of the first things I said when I started watching it was that it must have originally been a theatre piece because it walks and talks like a play but translates through the camera surprisingly well. It's definitely a film that I think people will really like or think is really strange depending on preference, and it takes an initial getting used to but once you allow the theatrical aspects to flow it's incredibly intriguing.

Movies aside! I could sit on my couch and watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and How I met your Mother all day long :^P

P.s. These people make me Smile



AND



AND

Fifth Semester DONE.

Now that I am done with Finals and another Semester of college! I can take a break from those daily homework and errand To Do Lists I would tape to my desk and stare at all day long.

This does not mean I am going to stop making To Do Lists ;)

As the true LIST LOVER I am, I thought I would make a To do List for my Winter Break.

1. Learn how to properly blog; I was bouncing from blog to blog this morning and it's actually really interesting when everything's organized (DUH!) and I would love to share more of my interests and thoughts and pictures with everyone.

2. Make a minimum of 2 videos with my Dad and Friends; my Dad's new favorite hobby is to film and edit videos, whether it's a music video or a short film, and being together with friends again I think we could put together a few things for s and g's (yep I meant...shits and giggles).

3. See atleast 3 new films and 5 old ones I've never seen; When I'm in LA I rarely ever see new movies because I'm a busy bee and it's expensive, SO when I'm home I have to catch up on all the ones I want to see like ...








4. Go on Morning and Night walks; both of these times are so peaceful outside and when I'm in Northridge it's not safe to do this haha so I would love to start my days with fresh air and end them with looking at all the stars I can't see shining as bright in LA

5. Read The Waiting Room again and prepare for my audition when I am back at school; it is a very shocking and bold piece, I am a fan of dark comedy, and the rold of Victoria Smoot is a role I will have to work for if I want. I am crossing my fingers so tight that BWV will unite! ;)

6. Keep my artistic side flowing and growing; I want to sketch, paint, sing, and write more...with free time on my hands I better take advantage of finally being able to do more of what I love.

7. To visit and capture my Siera girl and bring her to San Fran with me, it's going to be really hard not seeing her now that we are closer than ever. She is my other half and I am so thankful to have a her in my life. I don't know how I got that lucky.

8. Get my hair done, I need a change, doesn't have to be a huge one, but something to refresh myself!

9. Get the crew back together and go on adventures, have movie nights, and take TOO MANY pictures.

10. To relax, love, laugh a lot, be with my family and friends, never take boredom as an answer, and enjoy my winter break!

"These are a few of my favorite things..."

Inspired by my girl Siera and Marry Poppins I think listing the things that make me happy every now and again is a really good thing to do :)

1. Successful studying for a test where I'm actually excited to go take the test to see how much I know. ( I NEVER in a million years thought I'd write something as nerdy as that ;^P)

2. Hanukkah Cards...there aren't many of them out there and the ones I've received are better than all the Christmas ones I've seen

3. Picture texts!...I missed being able to do this, and I just updated my phone so I can do so now...random picture messages from and to people are always the recipe for a fun surprise

4. TV shows that I become more witty after watching...thank you Gilmore Girls ;)

5. Buying random combinations of items at grocery stores...Mac and cheese with chapstick, Loaf of bread and gum...whatever ... ;)

6. Making videos on Siera's mac :)

7. Bookstores and coffee shops...these things put together in one is when I'm REAL happy.

8. Writing personal notes and thoughts in books and scripts.

9. Talking to the quiet people at parties, sometimes they're more interesting than the loud ones

10. Journals and sketchbooks....my own and others.

Ten is good for now, time for me to get dressed and sing to 50's music in the mirror

MORNING STARSHINE THE EARTH SAYS HELLO

I have to study said the studious student

This is my little cave that I have been spending all my time in studying for finals! It's a stressful and frustrating time, but I love being in school and having classes to study for. There's something about drowning in piles of note cards, pages of notes, and books, while drinking my coffee that I secretly enjoy because I know by the end I'm going to feel accomplished. Every time I make it through another class and another semester I'm proving to myself what I'm capable of. That I can do all of this :)

With the help of some WONDERFUL FANTASTIC PEOPLE of course.


I'm thankful for everything in my life right now, I wouldn't trade any of it for anything else.

"Love is the flower you've got to let grow"- John Lennon

The beauty in youth fades like a wilted flower, but true beauty is in being authentic, your true self. A person is truly beautiful when they are physically tired and stripped of any mask they usually wear with an energy that covers their core, authentic self. They are revealed and just "being present." Just like how a swimmer is most beautiful when in the water swimming, then awkward when standing outside the water, a skier skiing down a hill is beautiful, but ordinary when just standing. When someones is truly dedicated, passionate, and has practiced and polished something they love, that requires using their true selves, nothing about it is fake or pretend because that will only take you so far. You won't shine or inspire the way authentic beauty in WHO YOU ARE and DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE will.

The Battle We're In

"How come the only way to know how high you get me
Is to see how far I fall?" -John Mayer

Many of the thoughts and actions we encounter in life come from 1 of 4 places

Heavens- Morality, Fate, Fortune

Head- Logic, Sense, Calculations

Heart-
(we spend our whole lives trying to figure these last two out)
Groin-

Sometimes what are heart wants, our head doesn't agree with, but who's to say what is right or wrong. In life we never know, its about taking risks, or doing what makes us feel good, not only in the moment but before, during, and after. Asking ourselves what makes us happiest. I've been in a battle of these 4 places for years, and I don't think it's a battle I'll ever win or lose, or perhaps I should look at it as many smaller battles where I never lose, but just continue until I have won. Happiness is the trophy I aim to have on my shelf, so if doing something, or having someone in my life makes me happy, then I have won.

"If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that's his problem. Love and peace are eternal."
John Lennon

"Have we met?" Short scene by Dana

Dialogue that ran through my head when driving home tonight generated out of real interactions and conversations I had this weekend ...

( Setting: Small college party in an apartment, about ten people present, girl sitting on balcony outside alone. Guy walks in front door shaking other guy's hands but keeps looking over at the girl outside. He decides to go over to her.)


Guy: Have we met before?

Girl: No, I don't think so.

Guy: You look really familiar.

Girl: Maybe I just have one of those faces.

Guy: No. No, I've never seen a face like yours. Where are you from?

Girl: I'm not from around here, I just moved to LA.

Guy: Yeah? How you likin' it?

Girl: ...I don't think LA is for me.

Guy: Why's that?

Girl: ( looks up at the night sky)You can't see the stars shining here.

Guy: ( keeps his eyes on her)I see something shining in front of me.

Guy and Girl share a shy smile.

Scene from my life #1, more to come.

If the butterfly doesn't land we don't see it's colors

In my acting class today we were doing an exercise where everyone had to run and jump over a bench, land with stillness, without adjusting, and strike a pose. The trick was to be light on your feet and land like a Cat not an elephant, be grounded take a stand. To stop judging yourself, stop thinking, be okay with where you land, where you are...like in improv when you say "yes but" you are accepting what has happened or what has been given to you and you work with it and MAKE it work. We have also been discussing archetypes, and how it will be helpful to discover what kind of archetype YOU are. Well, it was my turn to run and jump and my first attempt my professor just laughed at my landing as I curved around and ran back to the start knowing I needed to do it again. She yelled "You need to ground your feet into the floor! You're Spineless! This exercise determines your archetype."

"Shit."- Me

"...Dana for example, watching how she floats around the hallways of this building like a butterfly, her archetype is a Lover, moving from one place to the next, but if the butterfly doesn't land we don't see it's colors!"-Christine

"Did you hear that you're a butterfly, you're always floating around haha."- Alfredo

"...I've gotten that a lot before. That I need to more planted and sure of my self. More grounded...it isn't good."- Me

"Even butterflies stop and land on a flower every once in a while."-Alfredo

INTO THE WILD

Just a few things said in the film that I really like...

"Rather than love and money and faith and fame and fairness...Give me truth"- Thoreau

Some people feel like they don't deserve love, they walk away quietly into empty spaces, trying to close the gaps of the past.

The seas only gifts are harsh blows and the occasional gift to feel strong, now I don't know much about the sea but I do know that's how it is here and I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong,to measure yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions facing the blind deaf stone alone with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.

Innocence

Today I discovered that Innocence is a very captivating feature in someone.
When I think of little kids so pure and unknowing, smiling all day long, for some reason it makes me smile too. By innocence I don't mean being naive, I just mean that pure quality, it may be different for lots of different people but I think we should all try to embrace or hold on to what little of it we have left as we grow older.

Can innocence be restored?...

I say so.

You just need to find that something or someone who will make you feel like a kid again.