First Day of School (Blogging Again)

It's been over a month since my last post here (which was about the initial days of my "Great Social Experiment"). Since then, I've been up to quite a bit. They are, as follows:

• I picked up Shovel Knight from the 3DS e-shop.
• I made a trip to The Ghetty Center (also in Los Angeles).
• I saw American Psycho at the Autry in Los Angeles.
• I revisited a Zelda classic.
• I also picked up BlazBlue (thanks to my brother).
• And I (finally) bought a new (e.g. used) car that's better than Ophelia (sorry, Ophelia).

So, yeah, busy month and a half since my Social Experiment. All of these topics will get written up soon! Stay tuned for the details.

In other news, I've started up school again! Today (August 26th) is the first day of my (hopefully) final Fall Semester. I am simultaneously excited and nervous about the next few months. So much is at stake here, but I'm confident I'll pass with flying colors. Wish me luck, fellow readers. Until next time (and it won't be months from now, I promise!).

100 Days of Happiness & 500 Days of Summer

At the time of this posting, someone I know will be approximately 25-30% complete with her personal "100 Happy Days" Instagram project. The goal is for her to make the most out of the next 100 consecutive days, to discover joy and happiness from the conspicuous and the clandestine, the ordinary and the extraordinary. By doing so, she hopes to become a completely different person - a person who is more loving, grateful, and appreciative of the life she's been given, regardless of what trials and tribulations she'll face along the way. I'm hoping she won't mind if I put a link here to her IG account, so you can see her progress yourself!

Her 100 days of happiness project has been making me think of my personal happiness as of late. Somewhere between losing "Rachel" and dealing with the monotony of work and school, I've lost the drive to make the most of life and embrace the simple pleasures of daily life while committing the fantastical moments to memory. This is alarming, considering that one of my key resolutions for this year (and perhaps to infinity and beyond) is to finish the year in a more happier state of mind. With this in mind, I do want to refocus my perspectives on life and try to be more mindful of what's around me, who I interact with, and what feel (physically speaking) on a day-to-day basis. I don't think I'll be devoting a 100-Day crusade to my personal happiness anytime soon. Although, if I did, #Day1 would involve 500 Days of Summer.

To this day, I can't remember how I came to discover this film - I don't remember anyone sharing this movie with me, nor do I recall ever seeing any promos of any sort for the movie. All I can remember is that I've somehow always known about it, in the same way people always just knew how to breathe, and I'm fine with that. This is one of those movies that always gives me that "pick-me-up" feeling, knowing that life has a funny way of saying that it's aware of who you are, and somehow, I'm always inspired to try and pursue a more active love life (whatever that may be) again and again. This is really the first time I've really noticed Joseph-Gordon Levitt (although I knew he was once in 3rd Rock from the Sun in his teen years, and he's been in other films prior to this one) and over the years, he's become one of my celebrity man-crushes (but I'm digressing here). The same applies to Zooey Deschanel - I only recognized her after I realized that she was also in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as Trillian. I never really noticed how beautiful Zooey was until seeing this movie, mostly because we (just like JGL) saw her beauty in the most subtle of ways: her eyes, her hair, the way she laughs, the way she sleeps...rather than "taking it all in," we're given these little glimpses of her, of who she is, and when it's all compiled together, it's her (again, I digress, which is something I always do, I suppose). This is why my #Day1 would be this movie.

The Beginning of the End...

In the First Day (as well as the Second Day), I had expressed some nervousness (as well as some excitement also) at the prospect of being back in university after a year-long hiatus. Now, this semester is over and I'm quite enthusiastic as to know that this semester has been quite successful! I'm quite confident that I've completed all of my classwork with at least 2 A's and 2 B's (though the hope is that it's 3 A's and a single B and if I got all A's, it's a frackin' Christmas miracle of sorts). I say "at least" because I've yet to see my final grades! I've been too nervous to take a look ^_^" 

After meeting with my academic adviser to discuss the remaining courses and plans for the upcoming January Term/Spring Semester, I've deduced that I'm approximately only one year away from graduation! I couldn't believe (and I still can't) that this is my circumstance - although for this to be possible, I must keep overwhelming myself with 16-unit semesters and 32-hour workweeks! Still, I'm beginning to see the light at the end of this academic tunnel! 

I'm excited to make new progress and continue press forward with my academics - it seems that there is much more pressure, now that I feel that my life is finally coming together with a steady job, a soon-to-earned Bachelor's Degree, and even active love life of sorts! Life is finally starting to become more engaging and even fun now! :-D