Introductions

1) My favorite class in high school was Classics. We studied all the earliest writings from ancient creationist myths, to Greek lit., to early Shakespeare. I'm a junior undergrad so my favorite CU class was for sure Development of Theater 1. Basically the history of theater up until the first American theaters were built.

2) The longest paper I wrote was about 20 pages. It had a bibliography but not end notes. It was a field analysis paper for an education class. I would love to never write another paper that long...ever again. But, I figure I won't be that lucky.

3) One of my favorite papers I've written was about how slavery influenced and was depicted on the 17th and 18th century stage. It discussed things like how and when slaves first appeared in popular plays, the attempt of some playwrights to use the stage as an instrument of abolition, and the role of blackface in performances.

4) Honestly, the last book I read was called Shiver, and it's about werewolves. Fantasy and crazy Fiction books are my escape from too much serious literature reading. The sequel to Shiver just came out: Linger. And, it's next to buy on my list!

5) A writer that I have really come to like lately is John Connolly. He writes in a very archaic type of fiction that I really love.

6) Apart from the arts and humanities, I'm really into student government here at CU. I'm president of the Residence Hall Association, and I really think that student leaders here on campus are doing some great things to improve life for students and residents.

7) The last newspaper article I read lately was one from my home weekly newspaper. It was about how they are closing one of the two grocery stores in town. They had some good reasons for closing it, the economy supposedly couldn't support it, but all I can think about is how some of my friends parents work there, and how that is the only place within walking distance of my high school to get food in between school and after school programs. It's just interesting to think about the seemingly small, but very real, impacts that these things have on people.

8) The only thing I can really think of is the TV world. All of my classes were talking about the Emmys today. I just think it's strangely beautiful when the country can all fall in love with something together like TV. Well, I can't decide if it's sad or wonderful. But, maybe a little bit of both.

9) I can't remember which philosopher said it, but in one of my classes we talked about how this philosopher believed that when we are born, our souls are imbedded with the knowledge and wisdom of what is inherently beautiful. It is therefore something that we just know in the deepest levels of our being, and our souls vibrate and shiver when in the presence of something truly and undeniably beautiful: a work of art, a perfect harmonic chord, nature, anything. It just really blew my mind, and I've taken it to heart.

Well, that's all for now.

~Becca Stephens