I love random VH1 shows. Right now I am watching the top 100 songs of the 00’s. Awesome. And a commercial came up saying that VH1 is bringing back Pop Up Video. Do you remember that show? Oh I am so excited…except for one thing…it shows weekdays at noon while I am at work.
Other things on my mind:
Conference was great. The church is true.
I still don’t know what to do with my life. It stresses me out.
I will be in Boston in T-minus 3 days!
is here!! Ok, so it started on Friday, but I never got around to posting about this lovely day. Fall is my favorite time of year. I mainly grew up in Massachusetts and so of course fall is going to be my favorite. If I grew up somewhere else, maybe it would be different. Now I live in Arizona where there is hardly a fall. I am just excited that it will soon get below 100 degrees.
So lets pretend I don’t live here in the desert. What I love about fall in no particular order:
1. Leaves changing colors. Gorgeous! If you have never gone to New England in the fall then you need to do everything in your power to go.
2. Apples are at their finest. And in some places in this country you can actually go and pick them. And it is the time of year for apple pie, apple crisp, apple cider, pretty much anything apple.
3. Along with Apples, Pumpkins. I will eat anything pumpkin, I love it that much.
3. Cooler Weather. I love the crisp, autumn air. When I start to feel it cool down I am reminded of all the great things around the corner (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas).
4. Speaking of Halloween. It deserves it’s own spot on the list. It is one of my favorite holidays. I know, I am a bit strange!
5. Fall attire. I love sweaters, jackets, etc. I always have. I am still drawn to them when I go shopping even though I am in Arizona, and I barely get a chance to wear jackets and sweaters. I will admit I still throw on a t-shirt and flip-flops mid-winter. Oh no, I have become a true Arizonan!
Ok I will stop there, but there are many more reasons why I love fall time. In two weeks I will be in one of my favorite cities in the nation, Boston. I am so excited to experience some of these things on my list in one of the top places to experience them!
The other day I was sitting at an intersection near my house and noticed this woman standing on the far corner. On this particular corner there is a furniture store and this woman was holding an advertisement for the store. There are always people advertising for different stores at this intersection so this is nothing out of the ordinary. But I couldn’t help but stare at this woman while waiting for the light to turn green. She was so still, and was leaning against the light pole. It seemed unnatural, most of these advertisers are twirling their signs trying to get your attention. But, I couldn’t blame her, it is 112 degrees out. I wouldn’t want to be there either. But, then I finally realized that this woman wasn’t really a woman, she was a mannequin! I had a good laugh out loud in my car. I apparently need glasses. Here is my new friend at the corner. I see her often and laugh every time.
Yep, that was the pick up line I got last Thursday. I was at my gym waiting for a class to start. I went up to the front desk to sign up for using the big gym to practice for my upcoming certification. I didn’t really pay attention to the guy standing next to me, a sales guy. He said, “I like your shoes.” Then he proceeded to hit on me asking me how often I worked out and if I came with someone. He said he noticed I didn’t have a ring, was I married? Boyfriend? Then he said he was Christian…I didn’t really get that cause I thought he said his name was Ray. Then I realized he was referring to his religion. Anyway, we talk a bit more…I am not really interested. The highlight was when he said he was 23. I said, “Oh, well I am 30.” “You’re 30!?” he says, “wow you look really good for 30!” How am I supposed to look, haggard??!!! Oh, wow. It was quite a funny way to be picked up!
Love me! I attract them. Over the last 7 1/2 yrs I have been working at a nursing facility I must have built a magnet around me. They talk to me in line at the store or at the temple or church. It always makes me laugh. I love it! Old people love me, and I love old people.
Speaking of older people. I went to the temple the other night to do initiatories and met the funniest old lady working there. I have actually met her before and remembered how funny she was, so I was excited to see her again. Sister Horton is her name. And we got well acquainted. Every time I would step into her section of the initiatory she would just beam at me and say “fantastic.” She loved me! I couldn’t help but smile the whole time there just because of her. She is so animated as she speaks. I hope I get to see her again.
And speaking of the temple…I went there Saturday morning to babysit my 4 nieces as their parents went to a sealing. We walked around the visiting center and looked at the statues of Christ. We talked about the nail prints in his hands and feet. We also watched a video on the importance of family and how the temple is what allows us to be together forever. I felt the spirit so strongly being there with these 4 cute little girls. It was fun to teach them of Christ and talk about the temple. I got a little bit of a glimpse of what it is to be a mom. A worker at the visiting center asked me if they were my beautiful daughters. I sadly had to confess they were not mine. 
I am grateful they have wonderful parents that are already teaching them the gospel. I am grateful I get to be their aunt!
So what is with men asking women, particularly me, on pre-date dates. This is what I call dates that are set up a night or two before the actual date that the guy has asked me on. I hate them. My thought is, I already set up a date with you, not because I have interest, because I don’t even know you, but because everyone deserves a chance and now I can get to know you. But don’t ask me out before then! I don’t even know if I have interest in you, so I don’t want to spend all my nights with you. What if we go on this pre-date and I really don’t like you, but now I have a date with you set up already in a couple of days. It’s just not cool. And it just comes across like you are WAY into me when we don’t even know each other yet. I guess it’s all relative though, because if I was instantly attracted to you, and we hit it off when we first met, then the pre-date date could be a really good thing. But in general, it is not a good idea. And it is not just me thinking this, I have consulted with many of my single friends, and none of them like it either!
watching reruns of My So Called Life. I found the series on my roommates netflix and starting watching. Oh the memories! It is so funny. I remember all the music and the styles and story lines. And actually a lot of the thoughts and points of view that the main character Angela have are so true. It is fun to re-watch as an adult. And Jordan Catalano aka Jared Leto is still so attractive!
Chelsea. But at work I am Cheryl, Celeste, Christy, Chrissy, etc. For some reason nobody can remember Chelsea. Actually, funny story about that. At my seminary graduation, the man calling the names also called me the wrong name. And it became a nickname among my friends. And then at my BYU graduation, the name was also butchered. I do not understand!
On a side note, at work today I caught a glimpse of the show “Charmed.” And who should be on there with a guest appearance but Rainn Wilson from “The Office.” He was so young. It was hilarious!
Yesterday I was sitting in church waiting to receive the sacrament. I was sitting with my roommate Erin and my friend Kanoe. We were the only ones on this particular row except for one girl at the end. And I guess we just didn’t stand out because we got skipped on receiving the sacrament. I was waiting and waiting, and wondering when they would serve us. It even crossed my mind as the men kept walking past us that they may not realize they hadn’t given it to us. And lo and behold I look back and they are forming their line to proceed up to the front. Well I caught one of the guys eyes, and he realized the mistake. I realize this is not the first time that has happened somewhere in the world. But it has never happened to me. We chuckled over it.
The laughter only grew as we received the second half of the sacrament. We of course were one of the first served cause they had to make sure they didn’t make the same mistake. The man was so eager to serve us he thrust it in front of us with just enough time to get our water cups and then he was gone. I tried placing my cup back but ended up looking foolish as I leaned over my roommate and missed. It was hysterical. I haven’t laughed that hard in church in awhile. Then right after someone else tried to serve us. We declined but were then able to discard our cups with him.
So I have never made an official bucket list. I think everyone has goals and things they want to do including myself. One of the things I have never done, but always wanted to do is watch the movie “Harold and Maude.” Yes you heard that correctly. Well I FINALLY watched it last night. And I loved it!!! It is so weird. Weird but Awesome!
Watching “Harold and Maude.” Check
I have always loved to dance. I can’t even express how much I love it. I have taken a few dance classes over the years. Different styles. The past few years I have religiously gone to a cardio dance class at my gym. It is one of the highlights of my week. About a year ago I decided that if the gym ever announced that they needed new instructors I would sign up. Well, back in January that is just what they did. Now, they were setting up trainings for all of their classes (yoga, combat, weight lifting, etc.). I attend many different classes, so there were a few I could be trained in. But my heart was set on BodyJam (that is the actual name). It is the hardest class to be trained to teach, so I was second guessing if I really wanted to do it. I really thought about doing another format when they never came out with a training for BodyJam. Well they recently added another dance class called Sh’bam. It is equally as fun and cardio challenging. So instead I signed up for that!
This past weekend was my Sh’bam training. I was extremely nervous. I was told I needed to know all of the song tracks and dances before hand. I had a week to practice. So basically for the past week all I have done is work, listen to the music over and over, and dance.
The training was over two days and was amazing! I have never danced more in my life. Hours of dancing, practicing technique. Of course we went over lots of other things, but we mainly danced. Think of the most physically grueling thing you have ever done with your body…then times that by 3. That was how I felt. Well, still feel cause I am still sore and tired.
My first day there I had to get up on stage and teach one of the dances. I have been on stages many times, but not for anything like this. And I nailed it! Ok, I wasn’t perfect. But for being new, it was really good if I do say so myself. I got back up on stage two more times on Sunday. I passed with flying colors. Now I just need to practice, practice, and practice some more,team teach, and then I will send a video of myself teaching to the company and be officially certified.
It felt really good to do something completely new and out of my comfort zone. I had to keep telling myself, “You can do this Chelsea!” And I did do it. So everyone I know, or who actually reads this will have to come to my dance class! I don’t care if you don’t dance…you can stand in the back. 
Ok, so I was at FHE tonight and was having a conversation with my friend about eyebrows. Well really we were talking specifically about this other girls weird eyebrows, no offense to the girl. My friend said she waxes her eyebrows, which many of my friends do. I realized that I really really like plucking my eyebrows. I have never waxed them cus I just really like plucking. I guess I get satisfaction from cleaning them up myself. It is weird I know…I am weird. That is my confession. The end.
So last weekend I was in the lovely city of San Francisco. With all the many times I have been to California, I had never been there. So two friends and I hopped a plan and spent 4 funfilled days roaming the streets. I don't want to necessarily bore you with all the details, but I will give highlights.
We flew in thursday night and got settled into our hotel The Opal, which was very pretty and in the center of the city so it was super easy to get everywhere. We then hit the streets to find some grub. We had a suggestion from a friend to go to Annabelle's (at least I think that was what it was called). It was so yummy, but I had to try and not fall asleep in my food since I had worked before flying to Cali. Now walking the streets on our first night was an adventure. Apparently our hotel sat near a few shady streets. But we made it home safely without any homeless people jumping us. The only problem we had was being extremely cold. We had just flown from 110 degrees to not so 110.
Next day we took the bus to the wharf. And one of the best parts of our trip was the family that gave us their bus passes that they were done using and would still be good for the rest of the trip. Sweet! The wharf was fun, and windy. We walked, talked, ate famous sourdough bread (yum!). We visited a wax museum (to kill time, and it was free), toured the Jeremiah O'Brian which is the last ship around from the storming of Normandy...at least I think they said it was the last. Anyway, it was neat. Then we finally took a cruise around the bay. We met up with our new Scottish friend that we met on the plane. He was visiting a friend, so they came along with us on our cruise. Nice guys. We learned all about San Fran and the Golden Gate Bridge and...that other bridge, I think it's called the Bay bridge. Just shows how much I was paying attention. It was hard to concentrate because it was so cold and windy. And we were laughing too hard.
Saturday we biked along the wharf and the presidio. We stopped at the Exploratorium just to walk around the beautiful grounds. Then we wound our way up the hills to the entrance of the Golden Gate Bridge, biked across that and down, down, down into the quaint city of Sausalito. We spent time there eating, walking, shopping, resting from the many many miles of biking. Then we took a ferry across the bay back to the city. Next we hit up Chinatown. Fun area to explore. We also rode a trolley car. Always a must when visiting San Fran.
Sunday found us in the Golden Gate Park where we went to the California Academy of Science museum and the de Young art museum and the Conservatory of Flowers. We then went to the Alamo Park where you can see the famous row of houses called the Painted Ladies.
Monday we shopped, walked, and went to Alcatraz. So interesting! I have always wanted to go there. Something about mysterious lone prisons on islands intrigues me. The exciting thing was that you get a free audio tour, so you really do get to learn everything that went on there. Like did you know that th
e workers (warden, guards, etc.) lived on the island with their families. The kids played around the grounds and took a ferry everyday to the city for school. Apparently it was great! So some of the buildings on the island were apartment complexes and houses. One women who grew up there was even at Alcatraz that day signing books she has written about the prison's past and her experience as a child there.
To top off our trip, our plane was cancelled. We were to fly home Monday night, but couldn't until Tuesday morning. I wish this meant that we had more time in the city. But we just stayed at a hotel close to the airport and watched movies and ate room service.
In all it was a blast!! I love the hilly streets and interesting houses. It was perfect weather the whole time except for the afternoon time when it would get windy. We saw interesting places, interesting people, public urination, public nudity, and the list goes on and on. And each one 
of us had some kind of compliment given to us from perfect strangers. Mine went like this... I was waiting to cross the street when I notice out of the corner of my eye a good looking guy walking towards me on the right. He starts talking, and I realize 'oh, he's talking to me.' Man: "Look at you all tall and pretty. Hi-Five." He then really did put up his hand to give me a hi-five, and then he just kept on walking. It was hilarious! Ok so you had to be there. I have been to many large cities, so city life is not new to me. But San Fran was different and unique. I would recommend a trip there to anyone.
