I got 3 cavities filled today.

Also, I'd like to ask dentists everywhere to stop asking us questions when working on our mouths. In addition, please don't rant about politics at us either. All we can do is spit at you in reply. Thanks.

CHRISTMAS!!

I love Christmas. It is literally my favorite holiday. It's just such a good time to remember family, charity, and most important of all - the man whom the holiday was named after :). It's just that one time of the year when everything seems bright and cheerful, even though it's technically the coldest and darkest days of the year.

Yesterday was good :). My brother woke us all up at 7 in the morning and showed us all his new bike he got from Santa haha. Santa gave the rest of us Kindle's, which I've been messing around with for the past two days. I pretty much knew what all my presents were, since I picked them out with my mom, but it's nice to get them and know that someone cares about you anyway. I especially like giving presents, but I never know what to get for people. I over-analyze, I think :/

Anyway, it was just a chill day, dinner was really good, I made ornaments, listened to some TSO, watched A Christmas Story, and just had fun spending time with my family.

It's also been good to see all my friends again. We all pretty much go to different colleges so it's always nice to catch up on each other's lives. It's interesting the things some people have been through. As one of my friends puts it, "High school doesn't prepare you for how crazy life is after you leave it." So true.

Here are a few pictures of my break so far.  But you should wait for the family portraits we took at JC Penney hahaha. My mom is such a portrait Nazi. It's insane. They turned out pretty good though.

Syd, Katie, Emily, and me at Newport

on a horse carriage! it was really cool to get a tour of downtown in a carriage. very wintery

Mitchell and his new bike from Santa!

My new Kindle!

 Us kids in front of the Christmas tree

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

I'm Home!

So good to be back in grand ol' Loveland. Even though my family fails at Christmas decorating. Lame.

Finals were annoying, and I'm glad they're over. Still have to work on A Htg this break, which stinks. I never get a break from school, it seems.

In other news, I got accepted into the study abroad program!!! I am so freaking psyched to go travel the world this summer. Ahhh! I can't even believe it. New York City, Switzerland, France, Italy, China, AND India :))

Still have Christmas shopping to do. No idea what to get for my family.

It's colder and snowier here than it is in Utah. Weird.

I'd also like to thank Shirley for driving me to the airport today. I owe her lots of hugs. Also, this was one of the more enjoyable flights I've been on. I knew 4 people on my flight today and even sat next to one of them! Nice to sit next to a friend instead of a creepy old man which is usually the norm :) Yay for BYU Cincy kids haha.

Here's hoping everyone has a great break!

Finals Mania

So I know I haven't posted for quite a while, and that's because the semester is ALMOST OVER and I've been crazy busy. I probably shouldn't even be posting right now. But oh well.

So last week after the (not as treacherous but still pretty scary) drive back from Washington, my family came down for a few days! My aunt Brook was holding her wedding reception in Salt Lake, so my family came down for that. It was kinda cool to see them all here, as opposed to me always traveling to see them. They came and saw my apartment and we ate at Sconecutter, Chipotle!, and Wingers, which is a really good wings and burger place here in Provo that my mom's friend's husband owns. The reception was really great and it just amazes me how much their kids look so similar. Congratulations Brook and Dave! We also went to the BYU basketball game, where we dominated, of course.

Other than that, though, I've mostly just been studying for finals. Bradley had its final trade show on Thursday, where GEM came in 3rd place. That was a surprise, but pretty cool :) Thursday was also the last day I mentored Triniti. We decorated sugar cookies and made snowflakes, and she gave me the most adorable Christmas kitchen towel. I'll miss that girl.

My roommate also had her birthday yesterday, and one of the presents she got was a Ryan Reynolds poster on our apt door. I know this post has been a little text heavy, so I'll give you ladies what you really want :)

Giving Thanks

One more hour until Thanksgiving. I love this holiday - the good food, spending time with family, and most importantly, taking the time to remember all the things I am grateful for. Here are just a few:

• The fact that I am in Washington right now. It may have been one of the dumbest decisions in my life to decide to come up here in the middle of a snowstorm - all the way up. I seriously thought I was going to die several times, like the time we were driving straight through the blizzard and inches of snow, spinning into a ditch, driving through a mountain with about 10 feet of visibility, getting only one hour of sleep in 48 hours... not the funnest moments of my life. Let me tell you, hell will not be fiery and hot, it will be a frozen wasteland. And I feel like I just drove through it. It was a miracle I survived, and I'm so grateful for all your prayers and I know I know someone greater was helping me along the way. But I'm here now! And so grateful to see my family in just a few hours!
• My family and friends. They support me through anything. I feel like I have someone I can talk to concerning all the different facets of my life, and it's so comforting to know that. 
• Technology. I would feel so alone if I didn't have a way to stay in touch with everyone.
• Food. It's delicious. 
• That I go to BYU. Best decision I ever made. 
• That I'm in the PR program! Check out my articles for the newsletter on my PR portfolio page. 
• My church and the gospel. Feel bad this was lower on the list. I don't know where I'd be without it. It's really one of the best comforters I have. I know I complain about some of the culture surrounding the church every now and then, but let's face it, there are much worse cultures I could be complaining about.  
• Movies and television. Am I sinful for saying this? I just love them. In addition to being a source of entertainment whenever I need it,  film and TV are also just great art forms that display the different emotions and experiences of the human condition in the most wonderful ways. They tell stories and lessons about life in a way that no other medium really can. They literally show us how great or miserable life can be and give us great examples of ways to deal with our circumstances. Of course, some movies and TV shows are more valuable than others.
• My room! It's seriously amazing. A huge closet, a bookshelf full of stuff, a vanity dresser, a desk, a comfy bed, a clock, sweet decorations, awesome chair, rug, movie posters... all to myself :)
• corny jokes
• sarcasm
• inspirational stories

Deathly Hallows Review

Unless you live under a rock, you probably know that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 came out a few days ago, experiencing an opening night of $61 million. And it was amazing. I've seen it twice already (Yes, I'm a nerd. So what.) and I have to say that I think this one is my favorite so far. Here's a few reasons why:

• the most faithful to the book and good quality HP film so far. The previous films have either fit into two categories: there were either really faithful to the books but not the best quality film (1 & 2) or good quality films that left out a lot of important plot points (3, 5, & 6). (Movie 4 was neither. That's one I block out of my memory.) But HP7 Pt. 1 was the first film that was both. The things it left out (Lupin's scene, Kreacher's tale, Dudley's stupid line) weren't missed at all. Some parts were even better than the book.
• the ministry scene, the locket scene, the dance between Harry and Hermione, the Godric's Hollow scene (I jumped both times I saw it haha) and the Malfoy Manor scenes
• Dobby
• that this movie felt different from the others - they weren't in Hogwarts anymore, the trio had to fend for themselves, it was slower paced, etc.
• the acting of the trio. Dan's been solid for a while now, Rupert finally had a chance to show his acting chops and show a side of his character we haven't seen before, and Emma - oh my goodness can that girl act. Totally stole every scene she was in (which was pretty much the whole movie). When she cried, I cried. So good. 
• I LOVED that they had things in there only book fans would understand and made no apologies for it. For instance, the shard of Sirius' mirror. At this point, I could care less if you're confused and have no idea what's going on. The books have been out for more than 10 years now. Learn to read.
• Makes me SO excited for Pt. 2. Is it July yet??

So yeah, I would definitely recommend this film. Let me know of your thoughts on it. If you agree or disagree, etc.

In other news... yeah there isn't much other news. I worked all day today. Getting sick of school. Only two more days until Thanksgiving Break and then I'll see my family up in Washington! So excited.

I Love PR

I get to be the social media expert for The Vanguard and Voices of Courage and write a letter to Hilary Clinton asking her to come to an event. How awesome is that?

In other news, I was supposed to have my study abroad interview today but it got rescheduled for Tuesday. So now I'm wearing this interview outfit for nothing. Lame.

Oh and I bought dominoes and sidewalk chalk for Triniti today. Gonna be an awesome time.

Friends?

So I've been thinking lately about the power of friendships and what exactly it means to be a friend. I've never had a "BFF" - you know, the one girl with whom you are inseparable, who you share all your secrets with, the girl everyone knows is your best friend. I've always had more of big group of closer friends, where each know a little part of me but none know everything about me.

This used to depress me a little bit. I was always jealous of those girls who just had that one girl they could do everything with. But I've also seen quite a lot of those friendships go down in flames - over really stupid things, too. These girls who once seemed so inseparable don't even talk to each other anymore. And that's just really sad.

So is there such a thing as being too close of a friend? Is there a danger in only having one close friend who knows everything about you? I think there is. I may not have a "BFF," but I have a lot of best friends. And I'm ok with that, I think.

What do you guys think?

So dumb

Some people in this world are just not that intelligent. Just thought I'd point that out.

It's 50 minutes to midnight

Why is it that I can't ever go to bed before midnight? It's a problem.

Well anyway, this week has been kind of a bore, with the exception of Halloween, of course. I dressed as a gypsy and went to a dance. It was pretty fun. Other than that, I've mostly just done my normal routine. (Which I admit, is still pretty hectic). I also have three exams coming up. Joy.

Oh and the stupid faucet in our bathtub won't stop running water. It's driving me insane.

Here are some pics from Halloween:

It's Already Friday??

Dang this week went by fast. I just got home from the basketball game (we kicked the Canadian's butts) and realized that I had hardly done any homework! Ah well. The things I did this week were much more important.

Tuesday I went to the Ingrid Michaelson concert with Shirley and Madeleine. It was SO good. Ingrid is amazingly talented and really down to earth. She's hilarious - I feel like we could be friends. My favorite part of the concert was the end, where she laid it straight to us before playing us her "last" song - "Yeah guys, so this is the part where I'm supposed to tell you I'm gonna play my last song and then we leave and everybody screams for us to come back and we go 'oh what a surprise!' and play two more songs. But that's really stupid. It's cold outside and it would only take about a minute for us to get back on stage. So instead, we're going to hide behind the piano and pretend we had no idea you wanted us to come back."

So she sang "Toxic" by Brittany Spears as her "last song" and then her and her band totally hid behind the piano, under this canvas. Funniest thing I've ever seen. So of course we all scream as loud as we can and they get back on stage and play "Be OK" and a hardcore rock version of "The Way I Am." Oh yes.

After we got out of the concert there seriously was like two inches of snow on the ground! I can't believe it's starting to snow already. I hate winter. I think I have seasonal depression disorder or something because I get sad for no reason during the winter months. I need my sunshine. The snow was pretty though and we had fun scraping off the car haha.

Yesterday I went shopping with Brittany for my Halloween costume! I'm gonna be a gypsy. It'll be a little thrown together but I think it'll still be awesome. We'll see. Anyway, I've gotta go for now, but here are some pictures and a video of that awesome concert. If this video ever decides it wants to upload, that is...

Hey Pompkin

So after an incredible weekend, the new week is off to a great start. On Friday, I went bowling with Kailee, Kelly, Hollie, Miranda, and my roommate Rachelle. I love bowling so much and it was SO much fun to bowl with these girls. Hollie killed us all, of course :) We then went to JDawgs (best hotdogs in the world) and back to my apartment where Kelly's boy Ben joined us for some 27 Dresses movie pleasure. We then went to a $1 Haunted House that was only about a block away. These guys literally turn their house into a haunted house and have actors and everything. It was pretty legit - I'll admit that I screamed in terror more than a few times.

On Saturday I went to Salt Lake with my Vanguard groupies to see Waiting for Superman, an AMAZING documentary about the awful educational system here in America. It's a movie EVERYONE should see - especially if you're thinking about becoming a teacher. It's so sad what the majority of the children in America have to go through to get a decent education. The movie was an excellent piece of filmmaking, as well - even though it's a documentary I was totally engrossed throughout the whole film. Here's a great review of the film, much more eloquently expressed than I could ever do: http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/movies/24waiting.html

Today I went to work (I got another 100% on a secret shopper!), went to class, sped through a test I didn't want to take, went grocery shopping for the first time this month, and carved pumpkins for FHE! The pumpkin's pretty awesome - it's an owl in the hollow of a tree, in case you couldn't tell.

Thursday Lovin'

I should be doing homework right now. But Marx's Communist Manifesto and whatever stupid chapter Dr. Crandall wrote does not sound really interesting right now. I think I'm becoming addicted to blogging. I blame it on the challenge :)

Today was a good day. Thursdays are always insane. I had Bradley meetings from 10-12, and worked at the Voices of Courage booth at the Wilk from 12-1. (Stop by there tomorrow and say hi! I'll be there again from 11-1) Shirley then took me back (through a mind-blowing shortcut, I might add) to the ghetto Office of IT where I returned my janky Dell, DeQuan. (I miss you, DeQuan...) THEN I had Elang class, where I was on Facebook all of class (Quote from Madeleine - "I would rather slide down a slide of razors...than go to this class." haha) Then I mentored my girl Triniti, where we took pictures and played some tennis. We're definitely not going to be pros anytime soon, but it was still way fun. (May I also add that I was Triniti's first contact on her new gmail account? I feel pretty special. (Also, what's up with all these parentheses, anyway?)) After that, I studied New Testament with Mackenzie, came home and watched NBC Thursday, and started blogging after a failed attempt at studying.

Also, I went to my first ever opera yesterday! It was a BYU performance of The Magic Flute, and it was pretty good. I also wore my BEAUTIFUL t-shirt today, and took a picture with another girl who was wearing hers as well. I think she said she was taking one with everyone she saw wearing it, so that was pretty cool. Yay for body image confidence :)

Days 9 and 10!

Today was the final challenge of the Women's Service Center 10 Day Body Image Challenge! Yesterday was all about treating yourself - I got Thai Food, watched a chick flick while eating ice cream, and took an awesome nap. Felt wonderful, even though my anthropology paper wasn't too happy about it :)

Today was the final challenge in the Wilk - where I received this awesome t-shirt. We did an activity where we had to literally label all the negative things we used to think about ourselves and one by one removed the negative labels, showcasing the beauty underneath. The speaker also read You Are Special by Max Lucado, which really brought out the main point of the whole challenge - that everyone is beautiful, because our Maker made us the way we are supposed to be.

When we came to this earth, we were so excited to receive the bodies that Heavenly Father had specially created for us. Why is it that we always forget that, and constantly see nothing but flaws in our bodies? I may not be "beautiful" the way Us Weekly or Victoria's Secret sees beauty, but I love my body for what it is and what it can do for me. And I thank God every minute for it.

My name is Chelsey Saatkamp. I have pale skin, a freckled face, blue eyes, long blonde hair, a love for film and culture, a wicked sense of humor, a knack for seeing the best in people, and a fairly intelligent mind. So therefore,

I.AM.BEAUTIFUL.

Day 8

Pay attention to your thoughts today. Practice challenging your negative thoughts and replacing them with more truthful ones.

Some negative thoughts I had today and how I turned my frowns upside down:

• People probably think I'm annoying - I have this thought every now and then when I talk to my friends and get a curt reply back. I don't think I'm an annoying person - more likely they were just busy or having a bad day.
• (Upon seeing a baby) Yeah I'll never have one of those, as it kind of requires meeting someone who's attracted to you, dating them, and then getting married, all of which will never happen to me. - I can't predict what's in the future. Besides, I'm only 19. Babies aren't on the menu for another 6 years at least.
  
• My life is not that exciting - it so is. What happens matters, right?

So that's that. No more Negative Nancy for me :)

On a more fun note, my good friend Kailee tagged me in this little note. She asked me 8 questions, of which I'm supposed to answer and then tag more people. So see if you're on the list!

1. If you could only listen to one artist for the rest of your life, who would it be?
Probably Snow Patrol. I don't know why, I just love them and never get sick of them like I do some artists. I think it's because they have a good mix of upbeat and slow. And Gary Lightbody has an ahmazing voice. Everyone knows Chasing Cars but also listen to: Run, You're All I Have, Set the Fire to the Third Bar, and Chocolate. And if I ever DO get married, my future husband better propose with 'Just Say Yes' in the background. I'm just sayin'

2. Do you/did you sleep with a stuffed animal and what is it?
I used to sleep with this giant white bear I got when I was born. I don't really have any stuffed animals now (except the hippogriff I got from HP world haha) and I certainly don't sleep with them. They kinda creep me out now, actually. Must be Toy Story 3.

3. What is your favorite Disney movie?
Beauty and the Beast. Hands down. Lion King is a close second, but the music, animation, and storyline of Beauty and the Beast is just superb. She's also one of the few "princesses" that isn't completely spineless and lame.

4. What is one thing in your life you regret doing or not doing?
I regret not getting involved as much in stuff last year. I also wish I hadn't discovered Hulu. Procrastinator's nightmare.

5. What is your favorite thing about blogging?
Just getting to write about whatever I want, whatever I think will inspire people. Not to say I'm inspiring, but it's a nice outlet for my thoughts.

6. What is your most embarrassing moment?
When I threw up all over my Arthur books on Arthur Day in 1st grade. I never lived it down. I was forever known as the girl who hurled all over Buster.

7. If you could change your name to something else, what would it be?
Laquisha. Because it's an awesome name, and it would also mean I was black. Which I wish I was :)

8. What is one of your greatest accomplishments in life?
Getting into BYU and it's PR program!!

I tag:

• Lyse
• Miranda
• Shirley
  
• BrittanyHeather
• Mckenna

Day 7

Tune out the media - no movies, magazines, internet surfing, etc.

Today was really hard. It's a well known fact that my life is pretty much centered around media. I'm a self-proclaimed TV, movie, and Internet addict. And I had just received my new issues of Us Weekly and Entertainment Weekly today, and I didn't even get to read them. But that's probably a good thing because Us Weekly always has a story about "25 Diet Secrets to Help You Look Like Celebrity X," or something along those lines. Definitely the opposite of what this challenge is about. So today, instead of being bombarded with images of skinny, airbrushed, unrealistic looking celebrities, I took the time to do more substantial things. I read my scriptures, read a book, cleaned my room, called up some friends, got some homework done, and actually cooked a nice meal. I felt so productive today - something I don't normally feel when I spend half my day watching television.

And as promised - here are some pictures of my adventures at Fork Fest yesterday!

Day 6

Woo it's been a long day. I'm gonna keep this post short because I'm exhausted. But today was so great. I saw The Social Network, which was amazing and highly interesting. (Oh Mark Zuckerburg. You're a cad but I still use your website anyway). I also went to Fork Fest, where I listened to some amazing bands and distributed The Vanguard! It was so cool seeing people scattered around, reading our paper. So legit, man. I'll put up pictures tomorrow.

Day 6 - Refrain from telling fat jokes or talking about weight in general.

This is usually never a problem for me because I abhor people who tell these types of jokes or make these types of statements. And I certainly have no room to tell them. But I do sometimes have a tendency to self-deprecate myself, like I almost did when putting on my Vanguard Tshirt today. But I didn't. Who cares what people think, really? I am beautiful. Night all.

Day 5

Let me just start by saying that TODAY WAS AN AMAZING DAY!!! First of all, I GOT ACCEPTED INTO THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAM!!! (Sorry for the all-caps. I'm just that stoked.) Today I also went to Humor U, which is always a good time. (But let's be honest - I just go for Stephen Jones.) And finally, tonight was the release party of The Vanguard!! The paper looks so good - I can't believe it actually happened. I'm a legitimate journalist now, folks. It's real. All of the articles are awesome and everyone we've talked to is really excited about it so I really hope it'll become big. We're trying to create a paper that discusses real, intellectual issues and local scenes that Provo/Orem students actually care about, so I hope you tell all your friends about it. And ask me for a copy come Monday! Or come to Fork Fest tomorrow - we're distributing some early copies there.

In other news, here's the challenge for Day 5!

Exercise for fun - choose a form of exercise you enjoy, one you wouldn't normally choose because it calls attention to your body.

I'll be the first to admit it. I hate exercise. It definitely does not equate to fun in my book. But it's necessary - unfortunately. So today, my exercising was dancing. Sure, it was a party and some don't even consider it real exercise, but dancing definitely burns some calories and it's not exactly something I'm comfortable doing. One reason I don't really like going to dances is because it calls attention to my body and my atrocious dance moves. No one really wants to see it. But today - I let them see it. And I had a lot of fun in the process. Everyone was acting ridiculous, so my dancing fit right in :)

Here are some pics of my day:
1) my acceptance letter!
2) Me and Brit getting pumped for Humor U
3) The Vanguard Ladies
4) The Vanguard! I'm so proud! :)

Day 4

How much time do you spend getting ready each day? Today, use that same amount of time to get ready on the inside. Meditate, write in your journal, or perform an act of service.

Well, to be honest, I only spend about 15-30 minutes getting ready each day. (The snooze button is my best friend). So I feel that over-stressing about how I look in the morning isn't really a problem I struggle with. But I spent about a half hour today just laying on my bed, listening to music, and thinking about what I really want in life. I came to the conclusion that I need to stop stressing and over-planning like I always do. Hardly anything goes according to my plans, anyway. Life is much more fun and interesting when you're more spontaneous.

Another thing I really thought hard about are my insecurities. I thought about why I'm insecure about certain things, and realized it was because I kept comparing my experiences to the experiences of other people. And I really need to stop doing that. Just because I don't have a boyfriend, or an internship, or a million other things that other people seem to have doesn't mean my life isn't just as exciting or interesting. In fact, I am involved in a lot of interesting things right now. I just need to stop coveting.

"We just get the one life, you know. Just one. You can't live someone else's or think it's more important just because it's more dramatic. What happens matters. Maybe only to us, but it matters." ~ Gwen, Ghost Town

In other news, I find out about PR tomorrow! I'm just trying not to think about it until that (acceptance) letter is in my hands!

Also, you should check out Imagine Dragons. I'm really getting into their music. Listen to All Eyes and Hear Me. They'll be performing at Fork Fest along with Joshua James, Fictionist, Shark Speed, Isaac Russell, and many others. I'm way excited!!

Day 2 and 3

So sorry for being late on these journal entries, but my whole day yesterday was spent writing an 8 page paper and today was pretty busy as well. But I have some time now! Hope you enjoy.

Day 2: Study what beauty is from a gospel perspective.

1 Corinthians 3:16 - "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"

1 Samuel 16:7 - "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

These scriptures really mean so much to me. Often we judge ourselves based on what the world sees as beautiful, which is ridiculous because the world's judge of beauty is completely wrong. We should be focused on what Heavenly Father sees as beauty, because His opinion is what matters most in the grand scheme of things. The Lord cares not so much for our outward appearance, although we should take the best care of it that we can because our bodies are god given temples. By best care, however, I mean not so much makeup and ornamenting ourselves but instead keeping ourselves healthy and free from things that would harm our body. The Lord cares more about what is in our hearts than what is on our bodies.

I also really enjoyed Lynn G. Roberts talk titled, "True Beauty." He states that "it isn’t just about cosmetics or clothing. What makes a young woman truly attractive comes from her heart," and that "happiness is the most attractive accessory a woman can have." How true. Think about it, men - a woman's face might attract you at first, but if she's always a downer, has no confidence in herself, and hates the world around her, then that attraction's gonna dwindle pretty fast. I truly believe that a smile can make a person 10,000 times more beautiful. So smile, girls, and be thankful for everything you've got.

Day 3 - Make a list of 10 positive things you like about yourself that have nothing to with your appearance and 10 positive things that have to do with your appearance.

Things I love about myself:

1. I'm a good listener and love being the girl anyone can talk to about anything at all.
2. I never make first judgments about people and always give someone the benefit of the doubt.
   
3. I can see both sides of almost every issue pretty easily.
   
4. I'm loyal and trustworthy - I don't tell people's secrets and will stand by my friends no matter what.
   
5. I'm fairly intelligent. A 3.9 GPA is not too shabby.
   
6. I make a mean guacamole.
   
7. I'm not a picky eater.
   
8. I may not be too talented in the arts or music departments, but that's ok because I'm the amazing audience that everyone needs. I'm able to fully appreciate other people's talents.
   
9. I'm really chill about things and never have drama directly in my life.
   
10. I'm a hard worker and have always received positive reviews at any job I've had - and I've worked in many various industries, so I know I can learn to do almost anything.

Things I love about my appearance:

1. The color of my eyes
   
2. My freckles.
   
3. My long blonde hair
4. My ears to hear
5. My hands to feel
6. My tongue to taste delicious things
7. My mouth to talk
8. My huge feet. Really.
   
9. My height
10. How my second toe is longer than my big toe.

Wow, it was hard to stop at 10, especially with the first list :) I encourage you all to make lists of your own, it really does help you realize that you've got a lot more going on than you first thought.

“Pretty is something you're born with. But beautiful, that's an equal opportunity adjective.”

Day 1

Today is Day 1 of the 10 Day Body Image Challenge that the Women's Service Center is throwing. i signed up for this challenge for a couple of reasons. One, because I really want that Beautiful T-shirt you get at the end, and two, because I have quite a lot to work on self-confidence wise. It's no big secret that I've always been insecure about my body and weight, and over time I have come to embrace it little by little, but I definitely still have a lot to work on in that department. I need to reassure myself that I am beautiful, no matter what the world may think.

We're technically supposed to write our thoughts about each challenge in our journal, but since I don't really have a journal (this blog basically counts as it) and since I don't mind sharing my thoughts with you guys, I thought I'd just write it on here. So here goes:

Day 1: write a list of things that you are grateful your body can do

• I'm grateful that my body is not crippled and that I am able to move freely, and run, jump, swim, or whatever else I choose to do
• My body allows me to think and utilize my brain to the best of its ability
• I can write my thoughts, pick up things, use tools, and do many other things with my wonderful hands
• I'm glad I'm tall and able to reach things
• I love my freckles and my fair skin
• My blue eyes allow me to see the beauties of the world and my ears allow me to hear
• My awesome tongue lets me enjoy chocolate. and cheese.
  
• My mouth allows me to say what's on my mind, laugh, and tell rad jokes
• I can breathe. That's pretty necessary.
• I'm glad I've never done drugs and alcohol and that my body is free from those addictive and harmful substances
• I'm thankful for my heartbeats, my lungs, and my nervous system, and all those things that keep me alive and let me enjoy life

Wow, that was easier than I thought :) I'm really excited for the rest of this challenge.

In other news, I had my birthday party with Kailee and Kelly this past weekend! It was a lot of fun, especially seeing Kelly's um, friends. Haha. But I'm glad I could just celebrate with some awesome people and enjoy a nice break from school and work and everything else. (Ugh Anthropology...) Here are some pics from the party. Oh, and I'm still waiting for my presents, mother.

I Like Life

Hey guys! Sorry I have A LOT to update about, but can I just say that my life is pretty awesome right now? I mean, I have a million things going on that it sometimes stresses me out how to find time for it all, but I believe that everything I'm doing is pretty fulfilling and meaningful. I know the Lord will help me find a way to balance it all.

So anyway, here's the rundown!

• I am now 19! I basically just spent my birthday watching Conference and not much else, but it was nice to relax and enjoy some me time (and wear nothing but pajamas). I'm also throwing a party with my fellow birthday / awesome girls Kailee and Kelly this Friday. I'm really excited for it, it should be a lot of fun and I hope you all can make it!
  
• I'm finally getting the hang of my job and really starting to enjoy it. I got paid to watch the Homecoming Opening Ceremony today, so that was pretty awesome. Just pick up your sports pass please!
  
• Joined the Voices of Courage board, under the great leadership of President Shirley :) This campaign is all about stopping abuse, being a voice for girls who are afraid to speak up, and letting campus know that we're not gonna skirt around the important issues anymore when it comes to disrespecting anyone, whether male or female. I'm so excited about this cause, and I really think you all should check it out. Just ask me if you have any questions; we'd love more members! Click here for the link to their website. Also, you girls should really think about participating in the 10-day body image challenge the Women's Service Center is holding. It's something I think every girl should do, and something I definitely need to work on as well. Plus, you get a free T-shirt at the end.
  
• Joined The Vanguard, a Provo/Orem student run newspaper about intellectual issues and local news you probably won't hear from anywhere else. The first issue should be out in two weeks. I only wrote a restaurant review for this issue (finally living my dream of being a food critic!) but you should definitely check it out because it will be full of GREAT content. My awesome friend Lyse is writing some great articles about Fork Fest and the History of the Honor Code - should be really interesting!
• Getting more involved in PRSSA and the Bradley lab. The account I'm on is for the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, and we're even trying to get a Cabinet member to be a keynote speaker for their conference in D.C. It's so exciting to work with real clients when I'm only a sophomore in college. And not even in the program yet...
• I went iceblocking for the first time the other day! was not as scary as I thought it would be :)
• Fall TV is back! Shows you need to watch: Community, Modern Family, 30 Rock, The Office, and Glee. All I gotta say is, Thursday nights are one of my favorites :)
  

Things that aren't so great:

• I got sick from the middle school girl I'm mentoring. Triniti is super sweet and I love her to death, but I don't think she should have been so proud when she exclaimed, "I've been sick for a week!"
• I have about 4 tests coming up. fun.
  
• I have no money.

I think that's about all! I just hope that I can continue to balance it all, because I really love where my life is right now.

And now, here's a video that should brighten your day. I know you've all seen it a million and a half times, but it never gets old. Enjoy

Basket Case Study

That stupid PR case study - by far the most intense thing I've had to do in a while. Even more so than my job interview this morning. Who can write a decent PR plan in 2 1/2 hours? Nobody, that's who. But I think I did the best I can under the circumstances. I'm just finally relieved that it's OVER!

Things I still need to get done:

• apply for the Global Marketing Study Abroad. It's decided.
• apply for scholarships to be able to go on the GMSA.
• clean my room
• plan my birthday rager. please let me know if you know of anyone who has a karaoke machine and/or dance-party-worthy stereo system!
• party and have fun
• interview for PR major. not thinking about it yet.
• watch the fall premieres next week!!! so excited.
• and finally, party and have some fun.

That's all.

Computers > Me

So the backlight of my laptop decided to go out on me this past week, so I have been computer-less for the past few days. Thanks to the wonderful goddess that is Shirley and her car, however, I now possess a janky old Dell Latitude from the extremely ghetto BYU Office of IT. Seriously, I wish I could have taken a picture. There is caution tape around the building.

Anyways, a lot has happened since then and I finally get to tell you! Here's a little recap of my mad, mad life.

-In the midst of applying to the PR major! Turned in the application last week. Tomorrow is the case study (I'm gonna ace it. I'm gonna ace it. I'm gonna...) and there's also an interview in the next few weeks. I need to research PR cases a bit more. Wish me luck and pray for me!!

- On a related note, I also joined PRSSA and BYU's student run PR agency, the Bradley Lab. Seems like it will be a LOT of work but also very rewarding.

- Starting to volunteer at the Women's Service Center. Signed up to mentor a middle school girl once a week and will hopefully get involved in other service opportunities there. I'm so excited for this - I wish I had known about this center sooner or I would have gotten involved alot earlier.

- Applied for the Spring London study abroad! However, when I went to the ISP fair today they told me they only accept about 50% of the people for that term since there's so many who apply. So I might also apply to this other program, the Global Marketing Program, where you go to different marketing places around the world, such as NYC, Switzerland, Italy, France, China, and India. It would be so much fun, only problem is that it costs about $7000. Yikes.

- getting more hours at work! Which is good, except I'm so much more busy now it seems like I have no time to do homework.

- got called to the Service Council in my ward. Don't have much more information than that yet...

- having a great time catching up with all my friends. Trying hard to make time for them...

- and finally, I got bangs and more layers. Check out the Paul Mitchell School. They're really nice there and super cheap. And they give good haircuts.

Phew. I really don't know how I even find time to blog. (Although in all honesty, I should be writing an Anthropology paper right now...) That's about it for now! I'll let you know how the case study goes!

Sophomore year = Busy year

Soo my first day back at school just ended, and I'm too tired to form coherent paragraphs, so bullet points will have to do.

• started my first day as a ticket clerk. went pretty well, mostly just handed out All Sports Passes. They offered me more hours in the mornings which is nice...
• but also potentially problematic, if I get the Library Instructor position I have an interview for on Thursday. This job would pay about a dollar more, so the choice is pretty obvious, still it's pretty hard to tell your boss you have really limited availability.
• church at 830 in the morning is awful. Not sure how I'll be able to do it.
  
• ward seems nice though. girl:boy ratio is about 3:1 again. fun.
  
• not too interested in any of my classes. yay for GE's and self-centered professors
  
• really excited to go to the Women's Center and start volunteering there. I really believe that Shirley and I are going to make a difference in this school and for women in general
• so. much. homework.
• comms app 10 days and counting
• should I join Bradley PR? will I have TIME to join Bradley PR?
• nice reunion dinner tonight with my old roomies ;) love them
• still need to get some books. ha.
  
• MY ROOM IS AWESOME. still need more decorations. need movie posters.
  
• my new roommates are pretty awesome, too
• will think of more later. so tired.
  

On my way home

So here I am, waiting to board the first flight that will ultimately take me back to Utah. Words can't describe how excited I am to come back. The first couple weeks will be stressful with settling into my apartment, finding a job, and applying to the PR program, but I just can't wait to get back that familiar BYU atmosphere.

I had a great summer, though, especially this last week. I spent it with my good friend Heather in Florida, chilling at her apartment and campus and going to Universal Studios! Yes, I went to Harry Potter World. I can't even describe to you how amazing it was. My inner fangirl was literally screaming and gushing the whole time. The scenery is just so detailed; you can tell a lot of love for the books went into the making of the park. And the castle, oh my goodness the castle. It's something you need to see in person to really appreciate.

Here are some pictures of the wonderful wizarding world. I spent wayyy too much money here.





Mmm I can still taste that butterbeer now. Check out my Facebook for more pictures :)

Ode to Cincinnati / Loveland

Oh Great Queen City, my time with you is almost through
You have been good to me, old friend.
With your delicious restaurants - there is nothing quite like
Skyline, Graeter's, LaRosa's, and the Whippy Dip -
And your improving sports teams (Go Reds!)
And your green, green hills and treacherous roads.
Nothing beats Loveland's small town feel,
With the bike trail, the Little Miami River, and the Loveland Frog.
The way everyone adds an "s" to all the grocery stores -
I'll miss you, Kroger(s) and Meijer(s).
The laid-back nature of Midwestern people,
The scary but thrilling thunderstorms,
How you can drive half an hour and end up in another state,
All these are reasons why I love
Being from the 513.
O-H-I-O :)

My Writing Prowess at an Early Age...

... well not really. But I thought you might find this amusing. I was browsing through all my elementary school stuff and happened upon this little story I wrote in 3rd grade. (This will be true to the original - misspellings and all. Only thing I added were paragraph breaks.) Warning - contains little to no character development and narrative direction, but contains plenty of plot holes. Enjoy!

What Happened on the Day the Teacher Wasn't There
By Chelsey Saatkamp

One Friday morning the class walked into the classroom and saw that the teacher wasn't there. "What do we do?" asked Chelsey.

"I don't know," said Daniel.

"Let's see if the other teachers are here," suggested Shelby.

"Ok, but what if they arn't?" asked Victoria.

"Well then we'll go home," said Shelby to Victoria.

"No way," exclaimed C.J. hearing this. "I want to party."

"Well that's another good idea," Amy said.

"Let's go see if the other teachers are here and if there not, then we'll party," shouted Randi.

"Shhh not so loud, you might get in trouble if teachers are here," whispered Katie. So they went to Mrs. Ehle's conecting door across the classroom. They went inside and she wasn't there. They checked Mrs. Taylor's room, wasn't there. They checked Mrs. Rorabaugh's room, wasn't there. They checked Mrs. Barnett's and Mrs. Miller's room, they weren't there.

"Wow, what do we do?" asked Chelsey.

"Party!" shouted C.J. "We can get the Tootsie Roll Pops!"

"But wait," said Katie, "Where are all the teachers?"

"They're probably at a meeting," Cody said.

"No, they would leave a note on the chalkboard if they were at a meeting," Chelsey said. (I love how I made myself the voice of reason).

"Let's go party, I want a Tootsie Roll Pop," C.J. exclaimed.

"Ok ok we'll go," Jade said pantly. (pantly?)

They walked back to the classroom, still no teacher, so they moved Jade's, Austin's, C.J.'s and Marshal's desk to make a table. Then the class got started. Laura got the candy and put it on the table. Steven got the cafeteria food and passed out. (...) Victoria got decorations from rooms and put it outside the room and hung it up. Then suddenly Amy said, "Where are all the other kids that are in other classes?"

"Amy, who wants to know right now, besides the other kids would probably tell on us if they saw us so just have some fun and stop worring," Randi told Amy. Then all of the sudden the party began. Everyone ate and fooled around and told jokes and tricked others and alot more stuff I could think of. (a true creative mind, I had).

About two hours later they heard a door slam shut. (climax begins). The class stood still for a moment, then started to put everything away. They put the candy away, the decorations away, turned on the light and turned the music off. They heard it again. They were more frightened then ever. Chelsey went to go see what was making that noise. "You silly, it was only the wind blowing the door." (from inside the building...?) Everybody started laughing.

"We were scared of the wind, " Vince said.

"Let's go home, it's time anyway," Julie said.

"Yes" everyone said all the same time. "Let's go home." So they all all got their backpacks and got ready to go home. As they went to their buslines they remembered that their teacher's wern't there so they walked home.

On Monday when they got to school their teacher was there. "That's funny, she wasn't here on Friday," Chelsey said to herself.

When she got to her desk Mrs. McAteer said, "Why are Jade's, Austin's, Marshal's and C.J.'s desk here in the middle?"

"Oops we forgot to put the desks back away on Friday."

"Friday?"

"Yes Friday, you were missing Friday." (Not sure who's speaking here...)

"You silly children Friday was a holiday!"

"Oh so that's why nobody was here!" answered Jade. (lightbulb!)

"Yes."

"But you never gave us the note!" Laura said.

Well I guess it's my fault when I don't give you the note," she winked.

The End.

See Professors, I have been studying :)

John Wherry, ex-CEO of the National School Public Relations Association, once said that good public relations has four main components:

1. Do a good job
2. Do a GOOD job
3. DO A GOOD JOB
4. Tell people about it

Basically, if your company or association is doing a good job all along, your work will speak for itself and there will be no need for damage control later on. Here are a few people and organizations that still need to learn this lesson:

- BP (Exxon-Valdez who?)
- Apple (Antennagate anyone?)
- Lindsay Lohan
- Google Buzz (it's gone? but I didn't even know you existed!)
- Toyota (yeah, STILL recalling duds)
- Network TV - particularly the Big 4 (there's a reason 80% of Emmy-nominated shows are from cable)
- The Cleveland Cavaliers

Those doing a pretty good job:

- Old Spice (campaigning like a man, man)
- Facebook (now boasts over 500 million members)
- Android (just because I hate Apple. And so should you :P )
- Warner Bros.

See, I haven't been living under a rock this summer :) Now time to research these further. Bring it on, case study.

Unproductivity for the win

So as my flight back to Provo looms closer and closer, I've tried to look back at the things I've accomplished this summer. And truthfully it's not much. My American Heritage course is only 1/5 complete. My tanning plan has actually gone backwards. Exercising was a joke. PR studying = haha. Reflecting back on this had me down for a little while, but then I realized that I probably put too much stress on myself in the beginning. I mean, it's summertime. A time you're supposed to enjoy. And I have enjoyed it. I've enjoyed being back in the great Queen City, having fun with all my old friends, seeing my family, watching movies, relaxing, and earning enough money for next year's rent to boot. Just because I haven't checked off every little thing on my list doesn't mean this summer was a failure. I have till April to do AH. Still two weeks and Orlando to make my legs a little less translucent. Exercising, yes I need to get better at. And PR - heck I can study that on the plane.

Just needed to write this down so I could feel better. Now back to my movie ;)

Blogfail

Yeah, yeah I know it's been more than a month. But not much has happened, to be quite honest. It's been quite an underwhelming summer. I've mostly been working. I have gotten to catch up with a lot of friends that I hadn't seen in forever, so that's been nice. I'm just really ready to get back to Provo, though.

I have seen quite a lot of movies, though! (Being an ex-employee does have its perks :) Here's a quick review of the ones I've seen lately:

• Knight & Day: Not bad for a Tom Cruise / Cameron Diaz flick. Had a little twist at the end I didn't suspect. Still, felt like I had seen parts of this movie before. Is it like an unwritten rule that every action flick has to have a long, drawn out car chase scene? C
  
• Toy Story 3: Pretty much a flawless movie. I laughed, I cried (not even kidding), and really felt for those darn toys. This was such a bittersweet movie because it's made me realize how much I've grown up. Andy = me. A+
• Despicable Me: Exceeded my expectations. I wouldn't recommend seeing it right after Toy Story, because it's not quite at that level, but this really is a cute and funny animated flick about a baddie that's secretly a goodie. The minions and that little girl are just too darn adorable. IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE! ahahaha. B+
• Shrek 4: Eh. This wasn't a necessary sequel, IMO. Shrek gets up to the same old antics. And will his freakin selfishness ever stop?! C
• Eclipse: I liked the action. I liked Taylor Lautner (yes, you are hotter than RPatz, no worries). Some of the lines were pretty funny, and the flashback scenes were pretty good. Oh, and Riley. He was attractive. Other than that, it still contained the same pointless melodrama, Kristen Stewart's bad acting (aka breathing/blinking), RPatz's constipated facial expressions, and stupid plot devices as the other two movies. Can't wait for the cesarean-by-teeth in the next film though. Should be pretty epically ridiculous. C+
  

That's all the movies I've seen so far. I'm seeing Inception tomorrow, though. Cannot wait. Love love love Chris Nolan and Leo DiCaprio :) (P.S. see Shutter Island if you haven't already. Great movie)

Call me.

Random Musings

- Have successfully survived my first week working two jobs. Wasn't too bad, considering they didn't overlap this week, but next week - oh boy.
- realized I never wrote my reaction to the epic last episode of LOST! :O maybe because I was so emotionally drained by the end. All in all, I loved it. Great ending to one of the best TV series ever. I know there are some haters out there, but from what I've seen all the haters fall into three categories: they either, 1) completely misinterpreted the episode, 2) are angry that their minuscule question never got answered, or 3) have no soul.
- Wii Fit = evil
- the people in my YSA Branch are awesome
- missing everyone from Provo. Still need to catch up with some people (coughShirleyandKaileecough) so call me after about 3:00 Utah time. I never know when the best time is to call people.
- I should be working on American Heritage right now.
- at the rate I'm going, I'll probably be done with Am. Her. in about, oh, December or so.
- bought a ticket to Orlando! I'll be there about a week before school starts, hanging with my awesome friends Heather and Harry Potter!!!
- why is there no copy/paste option on Blogger?
- I could really use some dark chocolate right now.

Ugh sorry sorry for failing at this updating thing. My goal for the summer is to write at least twice a week. But we'll see.

Well, I'm proud to say that I'm doing pretty good on most of my goals so far! I just got two jobs for this summer! I'm a breakfast server at a Hilton Hotel and an office intern for United Performance Metals. Yes, I will have no life this summer, but I will hopefully be making bank so as to not stress out during the school year!

As for the other goals... Well, I've gotten through lesson 3/23 in my American Heritage. It's not the most fascinating subject, but I need to step it up a notch. Annnd as for the excercising thing... well, I've got a profile on Wii Fit, does that count? Yeah, didn't think so. Ugh. My excuse is that I was so stressed looking for a job that I didn't really focus on much else. Yeah, we'll go with that one.

Other random things that have happened: went to everyone's favorite Ohio theme park, King's Island, with my buddy and resident KI regular Heather. Here's a pic of me making sure I can fit in the seat for my favorite ride, The Diamondback.
Also, I went to a concert and drive-in with the awesome Syd. We saw Frightened Rabbit and Iron Man 2, respectively. I suggest you check them out. I'd suggest Frightened Rabbit over Iron Man 2, though. Thank goodness for Robert Downey Jr., whose gorgeous face distracted me from the convoluted plot most of the time.

And lastly, I have sadly been counting down the days till the mother of all network TV shows finally ends this Sunday. If you don't know what this is, then you must be living under a rock. But expect a rambling post-series article about it come Monday.

And that's all for now. Ta.

Goals for the summatime

I'm finally home! It was really sad to leave all my friends and life in Utah, but it is good to be back in the Nasti Nati. Besides, I'll see all those people again, so it's not like saying goodbye forever right? (Because, as you all know, I couldn't get housing for next year so I'll be bumming off other people's apartments. hahaha).

So I have this summer to look forward to, and I don't plan on wasting any minute of it. Well, maybe a few minutes of it. But only just a few, and then it gets real.

Here are my goals for the next four months. I'll let you know how I'm doing on them periodically.

1. Save enough money to pay for rent for the whole next year. This of course, means I'll have to find a job, but that should be no big deal, right. Right?

2. Exercise an hour every day and get in better shape. This one will be a toughie, but it's necessary.

3. Finish (and start) my American Heritage independent study course. Ugh.

4. Apply for scholarships. Then get scholarships.

5. Work on the Communcations application. So I can fulfill my dreamz.

and last but not least,

6. Have some fun. I need to learn to balance all my hard work with some adventure. Hopefully my friends (if I have those) will help me out with this one.

oh yeah, one more

7. Get tan. See #2.

Hopefully I can accomplish all these. Keep me motivated!

Lessons Learned

Sorry it's been so long, once again. With finals and the end of the school year coming up, I haven't had much time for anything. Thankfully it's all winding down a bit now so I can get some quality blogging time in.

Lately, as my freshman years draws more and more to a close, I keep hearing the same question repeated by several different sources. What have you learned from this year? This has really gotten me thinking. What have I taken away from my freshman experience here at BYU? Here's a list of the 5 most important things I've come up with:

1. Being independent is awesome, but sometimes hard.

Coming into this school year only knowing one person really forced me to learn how to do everything for myself. Budgeting, cooking, cleaning, shopping - all had to be done with no help. Being a naturally independent person helps a little, but it's still a good feeling knowing the difference between 1-ply and 2-ply toilet paper and knowing how to balance work, school, studying, and a social life all at once. Makes you really feel like an adult.




I can now cook and organize! I'm so domestic!


2. How to deal with disappointments and unexpected changes.

Because they inevitably come. I came into BYU thinking I was going to major in Journalism. Then I discovered that's not what I'm supposed to do. I wanted to be an RA. Didn't happen. I expected something akin to an adventure would occur this year. Not so much. But that's ok. It's how you take those disappointments and changes and deal with them. You can let it get you down, or you can realize that it's not how your life's supposed to go and eagerly await what's going to happen next. And you can also...

3. Learn how to revel in life's little successes.

Cherishing even the littlest good things that happen to you will make you feel so much better about yourself. It helps balance out your dissapointments. Some good things that happened this year:

• made a ton of new friends
• made lots of monay
• got a 3.94 GPA
• got a turkey in bowling! (best of them all, imo)

4. Be tolerant and get along with others different than you.

I'm not from Utah. Half my roommates are. Those are some pretty different backgrounds, yet we managed to get along just fine. In fact, it made for some pretty funny and deep discussions throughout the year. I think the reason we all got along so well is because we were able to embrace each other's differences and learn from each other. And it wasn't just roommates either - you can make friends with just about anyone as long as you're friendly and tolerant and a good listener.

I really am gonna miss these girls

and finally,

5. It is SO important to set goals for yourself constantly.

There were times throughout the year when I just felt like doing nothing and sitting around watching TV all day. However, when you set goals for yourself, it gives you a sense of purpose. And then, when you accomplish those goals, you feel like such a worthwhile person. It's also scientifically proven to give you natural endorphins when you complete a goal. I have some pretty big goals for this summer (#1, GET A JOB), but I'll post them at a later date.

Wow, that was pretty deep. Sorry about that. I've learned alot of other great things this year, but these are the ones that stuck out in my mind the most.