Mel Bay's Flatpicking Guitar Book

So, along side reading and leisure time as a healing precaution, I decided to GREATLY narrow down my extra curricular artistic interests to.... say.... ONE.
This doesn't count film/production work since that is my chosen vocation and job. What I'm talking about is the art I do outside of my normal work. Previously, here was the list of things I was either doing, or working on learning to do:

Painting
Scriptwriting
Digital Design
Web Design
Drawing
Playing the guitar
Sculpting
Spray Art (different from my conventional painting)
and illustration

I finally realized that, in trying to do and/or learn all of these separate things as extra-art hobbies I wasn't getting good at any one thing and, that particular fact was just one of the things stressing me out. I WANT TO DO IT ALL! Yes, but, for the time being I decided I will just focus on ONE so... after a few weeks of hard-pressed decision making I made a significant realization:

My WHOLE life has been influenced by music- specifically songs written with words. Since I was bearly walking my dad had me playing a musical instrument- the violin. That progressed to the trumpet, I snacked on the french horn for a bit, and then moved full-fledge to the guitar. Whenever things got rough in college or I was too "stressed out" and my life wasn't "going as planned" it was obvious right away from a notable lack of music surrounding me- not listening to it and absolutely not playing it. I even made a list when I was a freshman in college of all of the things that make me feel like a whole person- Faith, Sports (snowboarding and lacrosse) and playing the guitar/writing&enjoying music. 3 simple things that I Have to make time for in my life in order to feel like a complete person and I rarely make time for 2 of them. When the heck am I going to learn?

Anyway, point being, I chose the guitar. I CHOSE THE GUITAR. I threw away the list and chose for music, once again, to enter the book of my life as a dominant character. With music comes poetry and songwriting and then, blam, Chelsea is moderately whole again.

For an example of old-chelsea style scope out: my old poetry

I celebrated this decision by going out and buying a flatpicking bluegrass guitar book. Time to learn the basics that I skipped when I started playing in highschool. I'm going to make time every day to get through this book. My goal is to get through it by mid autumn. If I don't reach my goal I'll take a few lessons to boost my learning curve. The prob with my guitar playing is that I never crossed over the plateau of chords to lead and I didn't even know how to START. My songwriting has gotten boring and monogamous and needs to be spiced up. It's time to take the next step. After I learn a little more I hope to start playing with people again. I'm excited.

The book I got is Mel Bay's Complete Flatpicking Guitar Book (snore). Right now I am struggling through learning to "bass walk" and feeling like a total idiot.


I can't believe I never learned this stuff. Practice makes perfect I guess.

We could be closer than you know,
Chelsea

Plenty Magazine

So, in light of me trying to heal and not over-do it getting myself into trouble by staying up late and doing too many crazy things... I've taken up all sorts of reading. So I'm not usually a magazine person but I just randomly grabbed this mag a few months ago at whole foods:

Funny, this month's issue happens to be about adventures, road trips, and the like and that is exactly whe I'm avoiding for at LEAST one more week haha.

I think this is the first magazine I've ever read cover to cover. The whole darn thing is interesting. It comes out every 2 months and I can't wait until August to get another one. There are so many progressive ideas in there- I feel like everyone should read it and that ANYONE could enjoy it. I haven't been able to find it anywhere but Whole Foods, and not just any Whole Foods carries it. The one nearest to my house doesn't have it- I stumbled upon it by accident at one a few miles away. I'm seriously not sure why I picked it up but I'm sure glad I did. I just read my second issue and I'm probably going to subscribe. www.plentymag.com

WOO! We need as many people as possible to go to this or else we risk being turned away!

The Omnivore's Dilemma

I officially finished Michael Pollan's "Omnivore's Dilemma" and I'm happy to say that it was great. Joe at Nobrow Coffee recommended this book to me just short of a year ago and, although it took me a few months to actually consider and another few months to read, I'm super glad that he did. I actually enjoyed it's depth so much that i mailed a copy to my dad before i was even finished with it. This book is so meaty (and Pollan likes to tell long stories which isn't bad just, well, long). While reading it I decided to do some other reading and take breaks in between the different sections of the book and that did me well. Again, I'm super glad I've read it and I feel like it was a good one to accomplish- especially in light of my new eating issues and medically-forced-upon-me diet. My eyes have been opened to so many issues surrounding what he calls "America's national eating disorder." From McDonalds, to the Big Organic Industry to the Polyface Farm to hunting and gathering I feel like a much more well-rounded consumer now that I've been through this book. You would not believe the secrets hidden inside. This book is absolutely for any American who wants to be a conscious consumer. Thanks Michael Pollan!

I have 3 new books that I've acquired during my time reading this book. I don't know what one to choose next. I'm excited to choose though and start a new literary journey tomorrow. I have a feeling it will end up being something related to the art world. We'll see.

We could be closer than you know,
Chelsea

C+T=<3 (Dinosaur, Colorado & Zion National Park, Utah)

So Tyler and I have been officially together for over a year now. At our 6 month and 1 year anniversaries we took a road trip.

The C+T 6 month anniversary trip (last October 2007) had 3 goals:
1. Go to Dinosaur, Colorado
2. Scope out some beautiful autumn leaves in the mountain canyons on the way
and 3. Stay in Grand Junction at some fun hotel overnight and drive home.

So, because we didn't bring a map and didn't really care to much to plan, our trip ended up being a "drive-until-you-are-totally-lost-exhausted-and-out-of-gas-and-then-sleep-in-the-back-of-the-station-wagon-in-Vail-because-you-thought-you-were-in-Grand-Junction" trip. At least we made it to Dinosaur, CO and met ONE of our goals.





I think we saw about 5 minutes of cool leaves. Don't get me wrong the trip was really fun. Sometimes it's fun to just go.


The C+T 1 year anniversary trip had 2 goals:
1. go camping at Zion National Park in Southern Utah
and 2. Try to keep Chelsea's blood sugar stable so she can enjoy herself

WE ACCOMPLISHED BOTH GOALS! Here are some photos from the trip. We stayed in Zion for 3 days and slept for 2 nights all "camping-at-the-park-tent-luxury-style". We did learn, however, to plan a little better next time we go camping. It was super fun though and I love my boyfriend so much for being cool and liking to do things like this. woo!







YAY! I'm so lucky to have him....
We could be closer than you know,
Chelsea

RED for my hunny, GOLD for the money!

So my bike is moderately finished. Ok it's not even closed to being finished BUT it's ridable and I'm super proud of it. Eventually I'll get all gold components- for now, my spray painted handle bars and chain ring have worked out fine. It's a work in progress.





I love this bike!

Filmmaker's bible study

This idea came from a subway lunch I had with Brother Robert yesterday. Finally! This is the perfect way to get involved at St.C's.

We could be closer than you know,
Chelsea