Here's to 2011

I think it is something that I learned from my mom, but I love to make lists. In recent years it has become tradition for me to keep track of the new movies that I have seen for the year, and how many books I have read. Here are those lists:

New movies that I have seen in 2010:
-The Accidental Husband
-My Sister's Keeper
-500 Days of Summer
-Post Grad
-All About Steve
-Fame
-The Invention of Lying
-The Hurt Locker
-District 9
-Surrogates
-Love Happens
-A Serious Man
-Away We Go
-An Education
-Up in the Air
-The Blind Side
-Avatar
-Precious
-She's Out of My League
-The Lovely Bones
-Did You Hear About the Morgans?
-Valentine's Day
-Alice in Wonderland
-2012
-Iron Man 2
-Robin Hood
-Dear John
-Date Night
-Picture Perfect
-Ice Castles
-Everybody's Fine
-Edge of Darkness
-Remember Me
-The Secret Life of Pippa Lee
-Eclipse
-According to Gretta
-The Bounty Hunter
-INCEPTION
-Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
-Manufactured Landscapes
-The American
-Eat Pray Love
-Leap Year
-When in Rome
-The Back-Up Plan
-The Last Song
-Killers
-Easy A
-Clash of the Titans
-Letters from Juliet
-Legend of the Guardians
-Prince of Persia
-Kick A$$
-The Switch
-Life As We Know It
-You Again
-It's Kind of A Funny Story
-The Karate Kid
-Due Date
-Morning Glory
-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
-Love and Other Drugs
-The Social Network
-127 Hours
-Tangled
-One Fine Day
-Going the Distance
-Step Up 3
-Salt
-Shrek 4
-Toy Story 3

Books I have read so far in 2010:
-Rough Country by John Sandford
-Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs
-Angels and Demons by Dan Brown
-The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
-The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
-The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
-The Last Detective by Robert Crais
-Sunset Express by Robert Crais
-The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais
-Storm Prey by John Sandford
-Chasing Darkness by Robert Crais
-The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
-Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer
-Demolition Angel by Robert Crais
-Lullaby Town by Robert Crais
-Free Fall by Robert Crais
-Curse of the Blue Tattoo by L.A. Meyer
-Voodoo River by Robert Crais
-Indigo Slam by Robert Crais
-The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
-L.A. Requiem by Robert Crais
-Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
-The Forgotten Man by Robert Crais
-Under the Jolly Roger by L.A. Meyer
-Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins
-The Watchman by Robert Crais
-In the Belly of the Bloodhound by L.A. Meyer
-The First Rule by Robert Crais
-Sweet Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
-Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
-Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella
-Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah
-Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella



This has been a hard year for me, and I literally have the scars to prove it. One of the best things that I have ever done, I did this year. I gave my older brother, Wesley, a kidney. I was incredibly touched that he just wrote on his facebook wall, "I will always remember 2010 as the year my sister saved my life. Thank you for another year Chelsee." Other memorable things all happened right before the year ended as well were that I got robbed at work, and I got in my first car accident and totaled my car!

Another thing worth mentioning is my photography. I started 2010 with a Jake Garn workshop, and from there went on to Keith Bryce's Big Bang Workshop. I started shooting models, and things in the studio and have really come along way and found what I love to do. Over the summer, in order to stay in practice, I started shooting Fairy Tales. Somewhere along the way, I managed to finish school! I won't officially get my diploma until the end of the spring semester, but I am done taking classes. The next step is to get into a studio and get some of the awesome equipment I had at school to keep going with what I have been doing.

So, Top 10 Important Events in 2010:

1- Gave Wesley a Kidney

2- Got Robbed

3- Totaled My Car

4- Moved out of my apartment of 3 years to move in with my mom

5- Finished School

6- My Photography Really Took off!

7- Competed in the State Skills USA Competition and received a scholarship from the school

8- Met some of the most talented people that I was able to start working with, models, make-up artists, etc... And made some of my best friends.

9- Lost 30 lbs! :)

10- Went to amazing shows and concerts this year, such as Adam Lambert and the Shakespearean Festival, So You Think You Can Dance, The Swell Season, Kurt Bestor and many others!

Upcoming big events for 2011:

1- My parents are getting re-married this Sunday!

2- My third niece is on the way! Baby Sophie coming soon! :)

3- Allison and Wesley both got amazing job offers in Kodiak and are headed that way!

4- Got a new part-time job at the school that I am getting ready to start.

So, rather than post my New Year's resolution, I just wanted to wrap up 2010 and say cheers to 2011! I'm hoping it will be an amazing year~

And the hits just keep coming...

Last night, after work, I went over to my friend Sarah's house to watch a movie. It finished probably around 1:30 am, so I started home. I got onto the on ramp at 400 s, heading north. I saw that a few cars were stopped, but I didn't see any police lights or reason for them to be pulled over, so I just kept going. One of the cars that had been stopped started driving again and cut me off. I slammed on my breaks and swerved to not hit the car. Instead of hitting the car, I hit ice on the shoulder of the road and started fish-tailing, and I ended up hitting the cement barrier on the right hand of the road. The white car that cut me off never even slowed down. Two other people stopped to make sure that I was okay. They let the police know that they had also seen the white car that had cut me off. I was writing my report and talking to the cop, and he told me that behind me had been another accident. Some guys had been drive racing, and most likely drunk. One of the cars had flipped over. The other car stopped, got the driver and took off again. The police believe this is the same car that cut me off and caused my accident. They left a passenger in the car that flipped over, so the police said that he might talk and turn in the other people involved, but he didn't think so. I'll let you know if anything comes from that.

In the mean time, I filed an insurance claim and have a rental car because Sassy is dead. She is totaled and in a car graveyard. I need to hear back from the insurance to hear what is going to happen next, but I will have to find a new car. It makes me sad that I killed Sassy. I have had her for over 8 years and she has been a good car. I am bruised up from my seat belt, but my airbags didn't deploy. the guy at the junkyard said he was surprised with that type of damage to my car that I wasn't hurt more and was able to walk away from the accident. Thank you, Sassy.

Robbery

Yesterday at work, I was robbed. My store has NEVER been robbed before. I used to think that it was because we were on such a busy street in a store full of windows, but I guess not.

I was on the other side of the store when the man walked in. I was doing partials, and I greeted him. He didn't say anything. He just stopped at the register and put a note over my tip jar. I walked over to him, because some costumers do that. They just stop at the register because they think that is where they need to order. Anyways, I walked over and he pointed to the note. It read something like this, "Put all the paper money into a bag or I will shoot everyone." The note was hand-written, with blue ink.

I didn't know what to do. Other stores have been robbed before, so I have had dreams about what I would do. So, in real life, what I actually did was stall for time. I really didn't want to give him the money. Justin said that was stupid, and the money wasn't worth my life so always give it to them. But it was more than that to me. I didn't like someone coming in and taking advantage of me. Especially just because he said so, so I asked, "Can I see the gun?" Maybe not my brightest moment. He said something along the effect that if I did see it, I wouldn't like it. So I had the impression that he was only going to show me if he pulled it out to shoot me.

Also, before handing over the money, I tried to explain this is an ice cream store in the winter, so there really isn't a lot of money. I think he said something along the lines of hurry up in response to this. He mumbled the little he did say to me and he was turned to the side most of the time, probably looking for people.

Anyways, so I opened the register and gave him the money. He took the note back and left. As he was walking out, I grabbed my cell phone and called 911. I explained who I was, where I was and what was happening. Then I described a man in his late 30's, early 40's wearing a gray sweater and sunglasses that had just robbed me. I told them he had tattoos on his neck. Later I also called back to tell them that he was wearing diamond earrings.

The police questioned me for a while. I thought I had been so good about describing him. They wanted to know so much more than I could remember though. They asked about facial hair, and I thought he had a beard, but couldn't remember for sure. They asked if he was wearing gloves, and I thought he probably had, but also couldn't remember. He had had one hand in his front pocket of his hoodie and the other down by his side. He had put the note up before I had gotten over there, so I only saw it when he took the money from me, for a brief second.

The story ended up on the news. As soon as the reporters and police had left though, I sent out a text telling people what had happened. Allison and my mom arrived shortly after and I ran up to them both and hugged them and just started crying.

I have a photshop final that is supposed to be multiple images, and he said it should mean something to me. So, I used this assignment as a little bit of therapy, to describe how I was feeling and what had happened. So this image, along with the fact that they caught him today, makes me feel a lot better! Maybe I will be able to sleep tonight.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=13551315

Timeless Beauty

This is a picture I recently took of Liz! I needed something new for my photoshop class. We have to add textures, and words, etc... I love that Liz is always willing to come and help me with school projects! Also, it was FREEZING and she ran around in the little dress, barefoot around the woods for me to get my shot! Thanks Liz!!

First Shoot since Surgery!

There is a group on Facebook called the Northern Utah Creative Group, and once a month they put together a group photoshoot for any aspiring models, makeup artists, hair dressers and photographers. This was there second meet, but the first once I went to. I had a really good time! I was also very happy that I got Liz and Brittany to come with me! It was nice to shoot again. :)