Friday, August 29, 2008

Newspaper Article

This was in a few of the local city newspapers...
I'm the one in the pink dress. It's kind of hard to tell that it's me because of the format of the picture I used, but one day when I have time maybe I'll work on this and make it so you can see me better (not that it necessarily matters if you see me up close, but I always like to click on pictures and look at the people I know closer so maybe you do too). I look pretty terrified in this picture but that's what they wanted, so I guess it's a good thing that I did what they asked :)

The only other time I was in a promo picture was last year when I was in Lucky Stiff at Draper Historic Theatre:I'm the one holding the gun in the black pants with the curly wig and the leopard print vest. I had so much fun being Rita in Lucky Stiff. It was always a dream role of mine and I am so glad that I got the opportunity to be in it. I hope I can play that role again someday. It was such a blast! I'll post some other Lucky Stiff pictures another time.

So there you have it. Pictures of me on posters. It's pretty crazy. I am one lucky duck and I am just having a great time and loving life. Good times. (And here's a picture of a duck, obviously. I sure do like ducks...)

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Preview Night

Last night was the Preview Night for Scary Poppins. That pretty much means it's the dress rehearsal that family and friends can come to for free to let us see how an audience reacts and to see what we need to change before paying customers come to see us on Opening Night (which is tonight). Since my family came last night and they are not coming tonight they treated yesterday as my Opening Night. They all made sure to make it a big deal for me since this is the first show I've done where I've gotten a paycheck and they all know how much I've always wanted to be in a show at Desert Star.

1st off Meg brought me flowers yesterday afternoon at work. They are so pretty and fun! (This picture does not do them justice because I took it with my work lighting in the background (florescent) and because I used the camera on my phone, but you get the point):
2nd my cute Mom brought me a cookie with writing on it right before I went on stage that said "Break a Leg". It was very sweet of her to think of me and to bring it to me RIGHT before I went on since that's when I have the most butterflies. I was so happy to get it. Then I looked at the cookie inside the box and this is what it looked like:
You can kind of read "break" but not so much "a leg". I just laughed because it was a cute thought and I knew the cookie would taste good no matter what the writing looked like. And then I saw the note inside...let me just start out by saying that my Mom is a perfectionist (there's no wondering where I got this little trait from, it's good in some ways, but not good in others, especially when you just cause yourself anxiety and unhappiness because things aren't "perfect." We both need to learn to just calm down and not worry so much...but anyway, on with the story). She had this idea of how the cookie should look and the cookie pictured above looks nothing like the way she pictured...so here's the note she wrote that is just classic Mom (she wrote it in a completely serious tone. That's why it's so funny. Because she was truly upset about this cookie. And you have to take a long pause after each period when you read it):

So I had a good laugh about the note, had a bite of the cookie, and went on stage. I thought the performance as a whole went well. The audience laughed a lot and my family all seemed to enjoy it. I'm excited for Opening Night tonight. I am so excited to be in this show!!!! I know I've probably said that over and over in this blog and to some of you in person ever since I made it, but seriously, I can't believe I'm in a show at Desert Star! I'M SO EXCITED!

Thanks, as always, for listening! And thanks to my cute twin and my cute Mom for always making sure that I know they are thinking of me!!!!!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

What in the crap am I doing?

So this is a funny/weird story. I am just laughing at myself because I don't usually think things through, I just act and then I think about it afterward.


Anyway, so Meg and I just got back from lunch at Cafe Rio (which I love, by the way, but don't most people?). We had a great time and I am very full at the moment but I made a complete full out of myself in the parking lot and Meg just helped it along...(when reading this please remember that Meg is VERY sarcastic and she is so good at keeping her face straight so people believe every single sarcastic word she's saying...and she is very proud of this talent of hers...)


So, we pull up to Cafe Rio and Meg and I get out of the car. Meg is telling me at the time about how she did the stair climber 4 times last week and wasn't sore one bit, but after walking around Disneyland for one day her legs are sore...I tell her, "Well, I am sore because of this tiny little dance move we've been doing in the show" and I proceed to do the little dance move to show her how stupid and tiny it is and to show her how stupid I feel about being sore from this. It's a little flirty move (I am playing a woman from the 20's who's singing Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy so it's a flirty little song) and I am just displaying this move for all to see in this massive parking lot. Well, wouldn't it be just my luck that a car full of guys jump out of their car and start whistling and trying to chat with us. So Meg and I walk briskly into Cafe Rio just laughing (and I am realizing that I shouldn't have just broken out into a dance in the middle of the parking lot...)


Well, the guys end up right behind us in line. They are kind of eyeing us but Meg and I just ignore them, try to do different things with our hands to show them that we are married and by no means did we mean to have them look at us and flirt with us. Meg and I are chatting about work and just filling up our time in line hoping they don't say anything...but they finally talk over us and say, "That was a nice move out there. We want to give you a tip." I laugh and say, "Um, no thanks, I really shouldn't have demonstrated that move, I was just showing her a dance move I just learned and I wasn't thinking about where I was." And they continue to pursue chatting with us. I start to order my salad because I'm at the front of the line at this point and I hear the guy say, "No, we really want to pay you a tip." And Meg says (I CANNOT BELIEVE SHE SAID THIS) "She does those things for free. There's no need to tip her."


Seriously people. That's what Meg said. She is just smiling as she turns to me and I just ignore that it was even said, pay for my salad, get my drink, and find a corner table that is already surrounded by occupied tables so there is no way that they can sit by us to taunt me and my stupidity more.


The moral of the story is that I just need to stop dancing in parking lots. Save it for the stage Chelsea, save it for the stage...


(and here, just for the heck of it, is a picture of Meg. Can't you see that sparkle in her eye that says she has some grand idea in her head?! She is so cool, even though she does put me on the spot often, I sure do have a good time with her)

Monday, August 25, 2008

Which Jane Austen Heroine Are You?

I am Marianne Dashwood!

Take the Quiz here!


You Are...Marianne Dashwood!

You are Marianne Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are impulsive, romantic, impatient, and perhaps a bit too brutally honest. You enjoy romantic poetry and novels, and play the pianoforte beautifully. To boot, your singing voice is captivating. You feel deeply, and love passionately.


Can I just add that I love Marianne! I think she is the funnest character Jane Austen has ever had. Seriously. I agree with most of the things it said about our similarities, although I do not play the pianoforte very well at all :) I love Sense and Sensibility. I need to own that movie. And watch it again. Good times!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

A little bit of this...a little bit of that

So, my last post was kind of sad/weird/depressing so I thought I'd post a happier something...I don't have much to say since I am not doing much other than working and rehearsing, but here we go anyway....

First off, can I just say how happy Chewy Sweetarts make me? I know that's random, but I'm eating some right now and I am very happy about it. I love that they are so low in fat and calories as well (for a candy that is). So thank you Mr. Wonka for making these lovely little pieces of chewy heaven...
Second, I would like to say how much I love my doctor, Dr. Todd Nelson. Now, this might be random and a little sad to some people that on a "more positive note" I am talking about my doctor, but I am actually usually happy to see him. Not happy because I am sick or in pain, but happy because he has solved so many problems for me, is such an awesome human being, and truly does care about me and my body (not in that way people, I am just saying he really cares about me and wants me to feel well). He is probably the greatest doctor of all time, followed by Dr. Wilde who I talked about in a previous post. So, I am not going to post a picture of Dr. Nelson because if he ever found out he might be a little creeped out, but also because there's just no need people. So here's another little picture instead:

And finally can I just say how awesome my friends are? I love chatting with my girlfriends and hearing about what's going on in their lives. It helps me feel like I am not alone in different exhausting experiences in life, or in exciting times of life. I just like people. Especially good, fun people who care about me and I care about them (this sure is turning into a cheesy little post...). To name a few of these such people:

My friend Amy who really is probably the greatest listener I've ever met. She has so much going on in her own life but she is always so concerned about me. She will do anything and everything she can for me. And she always seems to know when to call, text, or email me. She is just the best (I stole this picture from her blog, I hope she doesn't mind).

My friend Manon. She is so down-to-earth. There is no drama in this girl's life and if there is she will do everything she can to eliminate it. It's surprising that we get along so well since I am so very dramatic about all things in life. She is all about trying new things. She doesn't care about what other people think about her. She is also so dang creative and talented (I love this picture. Jake and Manon look like they are so snooty and proper...hahaha...they are generally smiley people :)

My friend Becky who is the greatest example of how to be positive no matter how crazy your life is and who laughs harder than anyone I know. When something is funny, just laugh out loud and don't care who hears you. That's what I love about her.

My Mom who makes sure my life is full of surprises and treats (she calls me about once a month and says, "I'm down in the parking lot at your work. Come down here, I have a surprise for you" and she'll bring me a cookie, or a muffin, or even a Zupas Salad (my favorite)) And, of course, my twin sister Meg who always makes sure that life is a party. She really is so dang cool. She always knows exactly what I need. There are so many other people who make my life better and make me happy, but those are just a few. Thanks, as always, for letting me be a cheese ball and listening to my ramblings...

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

This is how I feel at the moment...

I'm a little stressed...I love this picture, and it's funny, but I am not feeling funny at the moment. Can I just vent for a minute? This is going to be completely opposite from the last post...

First off, I started rehearsals for "Scary Poppins" last Tuesday night and I have to have my lines memorized by tonight. Yep, that's right. One week. One week to memorize an entire show! What in the crap? In all of the shows I've done in the past I've had at least a month to have them memorized, so 7 days instead of 30 is quite a drastic change. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to be in this show. I really and truly am. I just wish I didn't work full time and that I didn't have rehearsals so much because then, let's be honest, when am I going to have time to memorize lines?! Jeez. I have the first act pretty much down, and the beginning of the second act, but the last two scenes are DEFINITELY shaky and I am so worried for how much I'm going to stink when I'm up there tonight. I know they won't expect perfection but still, I don't want to make a fool of myself...we shall see how it goes.

Second, I have been sick as a dog since Sunday. I just woke up on Sunday morning feeling HORRIBLE. It hasn't gotten better since. I'm sure the stress and no-sleep aren't helping that at all, but I just want to feel better. Aarrgghh...

Third, Jesse is on a business trip. Those of you wives out there who have a traveling husband I am so sorry. I don't know how you do it. I can't stand having Jesse gone. We are not joined at the hip like some couples I know (cough, cough, Seethalers, cough) but I do enjoy knowing that he's right there if I need him. He left at the crack of dawn on Sunday and comes home around 10 PM tomorrow night, so I think I can survive one more night and entire day, but I will be so happy when he is home.

But really, this week can only get better from here, right? Right. Thanks for listening...

Saturday, August 9, 2008

The Proposal

6 years ago today Jesse proposed to me. I know, I know, most people say, "How do you remember that sort of thing?" I really don't have THAT good of a memory. But, Jesse and my relationship did happen to have a lot of "9's" in it, so it was easy for me to remember the dates one year later and I decided to write them onto my calendar after we got married so that I could have the actual dates cemented in mine (and Jesse's) minds (so he would see it on the calendar, remember, and maybe give me a gift or take me out...hahahah...that's really not THE reason, but it is a bonus to having it written on our calendar).

So I thought I would post a blog about how Jesse proposed. It might be a little long, so bear with me.

That morning I woke up with a HORRIBLE fever. I had been sick for a few days, but nothing as bad as it was the morning of August 9, 2002. I knew Jesse and I had a date that night (which was odd that he would specify that we had a date that night since we went out every night, but he didn't usually plan things ahead...so a part of me had some suspicions as to what could possibly happen that night, but it was just a tiny little thought in my head). Anyway, back to me being sick that morning. It was so bad that I went into my Doctor's office, had a fever of 102 degrees, had a strep test that came back positive (that means I had strep throat, for those of you who haven't really gone thru the process of strep throat before, I had it MANY a time as I grew up in a house with 6 kids and we passed it around, and around, and around so I knew what I was in for). It was so severe they gave me the highest dose of Penicillin they could...

When I got home from the Doctor's I knew I wouldn't be able to make it on our date tonight. I called Jesse to tell him. He was pretty disappointed (not with me, but with the situation) and said he'd be over later to see me. I took a feverish nap and woke up to him coming in with my brother to give me a blessing (they asked me if I wanted a blessing, they didn't just TELL me I was going to have one) and I agreed of course...I was in need of some help. It was also the first time Jesse gave me a Priesthood blessing (sweet). Jesse left and told me he'd call me later. A few minutes later I hear Meg on the phone and can tell that it's Jesse she's talking to. She gets off the phone and tells me, "I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I don't know how else to get you to be motivated to go out tonight. Jesse is taking you to the Capitol Theater tonight to see the Broadway touring company in Beauty and the Beast. The tickets are so expensive and he called to see if he could swap the tickets for another night and they told him 'No' so you need to get ready to go out." I was so happy that Jesse had listened to me when I said MONTHS before that I wanted to see the musical Beauty and the Beast when it came to the Capitol. I was still not ok, but I was excited to go. So Meg did my hair and makeup, told me Jesse wanted me to wear a formal (which I was excited about as well, I LOVE to get dressed up), and got me all ready for the night. Jesse then came to pick me up. He had plans for us to go out to a nice dinner, but since I wasn't feeling much like eating he brought me alphabet soup (I LOVE ALPHABET SOUP!!!) and we sat in our formal attire in my kitchen eating soup.

While we were eating I heard my door knock very loudly (it sounded like someone was trying to break down the door) and then I heard the person who knocked run down the steps and drive off in his car very fast. It was odd, I must admit. I hadn't heard anyone do that since my high school days when Meg or I was getting asked to a dance...I went to the door and saw a rolled up map on my porch. I opened the map and was so confused...I didn't know where any of these streets were, or what in the world we were doing...but I went along with it. Jesse gave me a little help and we ended up at the church next to his house. When we got there Jesse slipped a tape into the tape player (that's right, a cassette tape. It was 2002, but neither of us had a CD burner or a microphone to record your voice onto CD's yet...) and his little brother, Clint's, voice came over the speakers. He said, "I hear this is the first song Jesse sang to you, and so I guess that means it's your song. I think you should dance to it..." so Jesse and I got out of the truck with the speakers blasting and danced to "Somebody" by Depeche Mode. Jesse sang to me. As we danced my eyes welled with tears. It was the most romantic moment of my life. My heart was just pounding out of my chest. I really thought this was the night he was going to propose, but I tried not to get my hopes up, just in case I was wrong.

After the song finished Clint came back on and said, "I think you should go to Make-out Point and check out the weather forecast for the night." Well, if you've read any of my previous posts you know that I LOVE MARK EUBANK and I LOVE WEATHER, so I was game for whatever we were going to do that involved the weather (and might I add that we called this place Make-out Point but we had NEVER made-out there, I swear). So we drove to the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon and got to Make-out Point. I jumped out of the truck to find the next "X" and couldn't find anything anywhere. I was starting to feel pretty stupid wandering around (and not feeling so hot either) when Jesse said, "I found something over here." As I came around the truck he opened the back door and there was a TV inside. He pushed play and MARK EUBANK CAME ON THE TV!!!!!!! He said, "Chelsea, tonight is a night where you are going to sparkle like a diamond in the sky..." and continued to read a poem to me (which I found out later was written by Jesse). The poem also mentioned the fact that we were going to Beauty and the Beast. I was so giddy when the video clip ended that I ran around the other side of the car to get in the passenger seat and I heard Jesse from behind and he said, "Chelsea?" I turned around and he got down on his knee.....I started to cry at this point in time as Jesse continued asking me if I would marry him (he was shaking so badly! And he was holding back the tears...which I love...since he NEVER cries. It was sweet that I moved him so much). I said, "YES! OF COURSE!" And we kissed. Of course. It was the sweetest moment of my life.

After a few minutes of laughing and crying and staring at my left hand (I was SO happy that he chose a ring that I would've chosen myself, though he did have Meg's approval after he had narrowed it down to the ring that I now have) we made our way downtown to see Beauty and the Beast. The show was AMAZING and Jesse took such good care of me as we watched it (I still had a raging fever). He brought me ice, and water, and would get me anything else I needed.

We stopped at McDonald's after the show to get some "Hi-C" Orange drink and a yogurt parfait, and then went to Jesse's parents to tell them the news, and then to my parents to tell them as well.

It was the perfect day (besides the being horribly sick, though Jesse should have known what he was getting himself into at that point :) only to be topped by our wedding day.

Thanks Jesse, for making my life so much fun and romantic with such fun memories!

And I would've posted some pictures but we didn't have a digital camera at the time and thus I don't have them on my computer to post them. But here are a few pictures of us throughout the years. (I will post the "proposal night" pictures after I get a scanner AND I will post the movie of Mark Eubank if I can convince my camera guy, who was also my Powder Puff Coach and a Seminary Teacher at Hillcrest High School, to give it to me in DVD format...)

This is a picture of us in 2005. Jesse bought me this dress at a Taiwanese store in Trolley Square and we went out for some Japanese food for some sort of an anniversary or celebration (I don't remember why):
This is us at Disneyland in 2005! Jesse has been so good about making sure I get to go to Disneyland once a year (he makes all of my dreams come true!!!!):
Here we are in April of 2006 at DISNEYWORLD! It was my first time going there and we had a blast with all of my family! In this picture we are waiting in line to go on Splash Mountain:
school and didn't see him for the first 4 years of our marriage. He gave me that dedication sash thing that graduates can give to the person who helped them and inspired them the most to get Here we are at Jesse's graduation from the University of Utah in May of 2006. I was so proud of him! It was just as big of a deal for me as it was for Jesse since I worked to put him thruthru school. It was very sweet of him to give it to me:Here we are at a reception at La Caille (I don't know how to spell it people, if you do and you are laughing at me, then I'm glad I gave you a good laugh :) I had to put two of these in here because it is absolutely beautiful there, and I can't believe that we got to go for free!
Here we are in November of 2007 at Disneyland for our 5th wedding anniversary (and yes, this picture is blurry, but a stranger took it and so I couldn't really complain):

And finally (yes, I promise, this is the last one) here we are at the buffet in the Paris Casino in Last Vegas, NV in March of 2008:
We sure have had fun over these last 6 years of dating and marriage!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Pippi Longstocking

I have been looking at YouTube videos intermittently throughout the day of Pippi Longstocking. I was always a fan of hers as a kid. I mean, the movie was weird, the film was originally recorded in Swedish and then it has English dubbed over the voices, and I found it odd that Pippi lived alone and could be happy about that. But I did love the song, I LOVED it when she'd lift the horse above her head (she had super-human strength people, if you don't remember), and I loved the fact that she had so much gold that she didn't know what to do with it (that good ol' candy shop scene was my favorite, except for when she walks outside and starts handing out her candy like it's nobodies business...hold on to some of that candy for yourself, Pippi, that's what I would do). I just thought I'd put a few Pippi pictures here and maybe a clip or two...I do love her so...and I LOVE the Gilmore Girls Episode where they sing the intro song...I'll put a link to that as well...I hope you have fun reminiscing...and I guess I hope that you actually got to see this as a kid so you CAN reminisce with me :)



1. A link to watch the Gilmore Girls Clip...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7-NDAG58qY



2. A picture of Pippi and her monkey (I don't remember his name)



3. The cover of the TV Series on DVD (who knew it was on DVD now?! I'll have to get it...)



And on a final note, does anyone else think this little girl looks like her name should be "Astrid Lindgren"?! It fits her perfectly! Astrid, Pippi, whatever, she just has that look...who ever was in charge of casting was brilliant...and if they are still alive they should definitely get some bonus cash...

(**Correction to this post after I actually posted it...this little girl's name, as you probably thought after you read this paragraph and looked at the DVD cover above is "Inger Nilsson" not "Astrid Lindgren". Astrid is the name of the writer and Inger is the name of the little girl. I must say I'm upset that her name isn't Astrid. It's much better than Inger...especially for the wild child she is...don't get me wrong, Inger is an out-there name but it's relatively normal compared to Astrid. Why am I even having this conversation? I guess I'm a little sleep deprived, what with the waking up for work at 6:00 AM, working until 4:30 PM, going to rehearsals for Scary Poppins at 6:00 PM, rehearsing until 11:00 PM, and going to bed around 12:00 AM and then starting that same pattern over the next day...maybe that's why I even did a "Pippi Post" in the first place...oh how I wish I could take a nap...)

This is probably the most random blog I will ever write. Let's hope so. How can you get more random than Pippi?!

Monday, August 4, 2008

I MADE IT!!!!

I am just in shock. Complete and utter shock. I just got a call from Desert Star and they told me that I MADE THE SHOW! This will be my first paying gig, and I am just so dang excited. I feel like dancing around and screaming (the poor people in my office were scared to death when I got that phone call because I DID start screaming). Oh well, whatever, I am excited people!!!! HOORAY!

The show will be "Scary Poppins" and it runs from August 28 to November 8 (long run, I know, I've never been in a show that runs that long, but it should be fun!) Here's a link to their website if you want to check it out...

www.desertstar.biz

WOOHOO!!!!!