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ChuchyLynn
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Name: Chelsey
Country: United States
Gender: Female
Interests: Good music, Italian food, Apple Computers, graphic design, and interior decorating
Expertise: I can make Chicken Scampi exactly like the Olive Garden. I've handled the bindery work for prestigious companies such as Clarian Health Partners, Hoosier Park, Reebok, and Simon Malls. And I can tell you the names of all the presidents from Washington to Roosevelt...in order. Now if that doesn't impress you, I don't know what will.
Occupation: Student
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
9/17/2005
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| It's that time again......
MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS FROM THE MIND OF CHELSEY
RANDOM THOUGHT #1 - Where exactly does snot come from? Yes, I'm talking about the stuff that clogs up your nose, rendering you unable to smell anything. I have a cold right now, and I probably blow my nose 30 times a day—yet it just keeps on coming! And another thing: why does sometimes just one nostril get clogged? I know, its gross. But these are the kinds of questions you have to ask yourself.
RANDOM THOUGHT #2 - Sometimes I wonder why you dream certain things. Last night I had this dream that I was married to James Taylor (no joke), and that the song "There's Something In the Way She Moves" was actually written about me. I haven't listened to James Taylor in weeks, and I have CERTAINLY never fantasized about marrying the man. How weird is that?
RANDOM THOUGHT #3 - I find it very, VERY sad that shows like "Judge Tony Baloney: Who's Baby Is It REALLY?" can make it on television, yet Arrested Development, the most brilliant show every to hit the airwaves, gets cancelled after like 2 1/2 seasons. It's just not right!
RANDOM THOUGHT # 4 - You know what I really can't stand? When pants aren't long enough to go to the bottom of your shoes. I always feel like a dork when my pants get caught between the tongue of my shoe and my foot. Not sure why, but it just bothers me.
RANDOM THOUGHT #5 - Sometimes I wish that you could just hit a "pause" button for life, and that the world around you would just stop for a moment and you would have time to savor things before they are gone.
RANDOM THOUGHT #6 - Build Me Up Buttercup is the best song ever, and can make you feel better no matter how stressed out you are. | | |
| I had a very fun experience last night. For extra credit for TV Production, I spent my Friday night over at the PPAC (our music building/performance hall) filming a Veteran's Day ceremony. The ceremony itself was INCREDIBLY BORING...the kind of boring that would have made you want to cry and run away if you were merely attending. But I was running the prestigious Camera 3, so I kept myself mildly entertained. It was a challenge to find good shots—especially when people were standing up and I could barely see the stage.
It was also a challenge to communicate with Dr. King and Seth and Matt, who were over in the Black Box directing and working on sound. Though they could talk to me through my headset, I could't speak to them. I discovered that the only way I could communicate with them was by saying "yes" (tilting the camera up and down) and "no" (quickly panning the camera from side to side). We had some pretty great conversations about how much extra credit Matt and I were going to receive with just camera movement, which was hilarious. However, it was killing me not to be able to make sarcastic comments about the speakers and the program itself. Dr. King did a decent job of it, but there were a few things he didn't pick up on. :)
The best part, by far, was the fact that through our headphones we could also hear the opera that was being held in Baker Recital Hall. I wasn't too fond of opera before, but now that it was screeching in my ears for nearly 2 hours, I have to say that I absolutely hate it. No offense to any who might have been in the production—obviously I coulndn't see it, so perhaps that has something to do with my intolerance of it. But yeah...between the 679 variations on the same speech and the sopranos belting out words I didn't understand, it was kind of grating on the nerves. :)
All was redeemed after the program, however, when Matt and I decided to celebrate the end of this hellish week by going to eat at Rosie's Little Italy. So its not exactly a venue I would reccommend, but it was fun and would have been no matter where we were eating. We came back here after eating and watched some Arrested Development, the most wonderful unwinding activity known to mankind.
So it was a good night—and it opened my eyes to something I really enjoyed with that multi-camera, live-to-tape production. I can't wait to take studio prod now! I am so glad that I changed my emphasis from journalism to mass media. This is SO MUCH FUN—and as my dad's friend Dan Wright says, whatever you go into, you must love the process. I think that's pretty good advice.
Well I am off to work on a paper for Mass Com about Lucille Ball and her impact on the television industry. Leave me fun comments! :) | | |
| Well its been forever since I've written. Which stretches the meaning of "forever" to incorporate a period of time over 48 hours...but oh well. :) I have been having a he...ck of a week so far, with a ton of prejects and papers and exams hitting me all at once. Or, perhaps more accurately, I'm hitting them all at once. I am so bad a procrastinating.
Anyway, I basically was tired of not having any new comments, so I thought I'd post some more random thoughts in theses few minutes before I have to leave for class.
RANDOM THOUGHT #1 - THE ORIGIN OF THE FOOD NAMES IN BALDWIN
I had new Orleans chicken for dinner tonight, which caused me to ponder: what makes it New Orleans chicken? So I came up with the following theory: they probably have a map of the world somewhere in the kitchen in Baldwin, and every day before a meal they have the employee of the month close their eyes and point at a place on the map, and wherever his or her finger lands, that is what the day's specialty will be called. It is the only thing that makes sense, because (in Kelly's friend's word) everyone knows that all the food in Baldwin is the same, its just sprayed with different cans of Nasty.
RANDOM THOUGHT #2 - TORNADOS
Apparently IWU is hoping that all the Com and Art majors perish in some terrible manner, because last night there was a tornado in Upland and all the dorms went into lockdown mode. But did anyone tell us to get out of the second-story editing lab? Did anyone call to make sure we knew about the storm? Of course not. I think this has something to do with a conspiracy.
RANDOM THOUGHT # 3 - The Gilmore Girls is another one of those shows I don't really understand. I mean, you take a mom and a daughter, throw in some crazy parents and a coffee shop (which is becoming so cliché, for all you hopeful sitcom writers), and BOOM. I guess some things just "work." But give me a good old random episode of Arrested Development any day of the week. I want to see people on scooters and seals biting people's hands off and other things of that nature.
Okay so this is an "ehh" entry...I would have been more creative and funny if I had time. But class starts in 10 minutes and I have to run. Leave me comments!!! - Chels- | | |
| Hahaha...well, it seems I've caused quite a stir among a few of you by my last post. I feel obligated to let you know that I am not about to turn my back on everything I believe—I suppose that my internal ramblings transferred to paper (um...screen...) with a pretty dismal tone. Most days this isn't the case; most days I am extremely confident of what I believe and can defend exactly why, knowing in the depths of my soul that God not only exists, but loves and cares about the world. I think that the other night I was being perhaps a bit melodramatic in order to make a point: that there are questions that I don't have the answers to, and there are times that I doubt whether everything I believe is really the truth, or just one more conjured religion. There have been several times in my life that this doubt swelled in my mind, but the truth of God's word and the influence of the Holy Spirit have always settled the raging sea—as if Christ Himself were whispering the words, "Peace! Be still." Even the other night, I could see Him reeling me back. Through the words of that book and the strains of the thunderstorm, He called out to my heart once again. "I am here. I am here. I am here."
I am still not sure how to rationalize/explain why little kids in Africa are starving...it would be interesting to dialogue with a few of you on that. Perhaps we'll have the chance soon. But I do believe there is some sort of explanation. The broader one, of course, would have to be the fact that we are living in a world riddled with sin. Not just sinful acts, such as murder and lying and adultery. We are saturated with the sinful nature, every last one of us (apart from Christ, that is). And sin has consequences. Primarily and most severely, separation from God.
As I've been reading through Scripture with renewed eyes, i have realized that God never turns his back on suffering. It may seem that way if you were Israel...there were often such long times of suffering and captivity and wandering (all as discipline, mind you, for their disobedience). But God was always there, raising up holy men to help redeeem the nation and lead it back to Him. This makes me think that my accusations of God "idly standing by" as the world suffers are not only completely innaccurate, but nearly blasphemous. I feel like Job, ranting and raving about everything under the sun, then suddenly God steps in. I opened my Bible to quote the passage, and found it interesting that it says that God spoke to Job "out of the storm:"
"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?"
God goes on like this for four chapters, describing all the things He knows, all that He alone comprehends. I think he makes a strong point about the fact that He has been around for a long time (like, forever), compared to Job's life of "but a breath." Job is unable to get a word in edgewise, until finally a sacred pause causes this righteous yet troubled man to exclaim:
"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
Oh how my heart resonates with Job. I feel an apology is needed to you, my 3 dear readers, but more importantly to God. Not that it is wrong to have doubts or to question. But my emotions really took over in those entries the other night, clouding out all the thousands of times I have witnessed God's faithfulness and experienced His grace and felt His love. I will never understand all the intricacies of this universe, the way God has set the world in motion and the way He governs its every movement. But I will approach the whole subject from now on with a spirit of humility, knowing that I too am "but a breath."
Now I must thank God for His patience and power and grace. My ears had heard of Him but now my eyes have seen Him. Therefore I also repent of my arrogance and pride. Who am I to bring a charge before Him—God, the creator of the world? I praise Him for big enough to handle my questions—unenlightened though they may be. And I thank him for giving me such great friends who care enough to steer me back.
I am off to a meeting now, but just wanted to clear all that up. Hope everyone has a great day...I know I quite a bit lighter after getting all that down on paper (um, screen....) It may be time for another round of "Build Me Up Buttercup." Ta-ta for now! | | |
| Well it is 3 AM now. A thunderstorm unlike any we've had for a month or more has been raging for the last ten minutes or so, bringing with it violent wind and cracking lightning. Outside my open window I can hear raindrops pounding the sidewalk and branches thrashing against each other, as thunder rumbles closer and closer...until it finally shakes the room with a resounding BOOM. I love storms—their unbridled fury has always captivated me, and even as a small child I was never as terrified at them as I was amazed. I would often open up the window just so I could hear the thunder better and smell the wetness of the rain.
Tonight is no different, even with the extreme exhaustion (both mental and physical) that has begun settling into my senses. A few hours ago I wrote a rather lengthy entry in which I wondered aloud at the state of the universe and whether there was really a God somewhere out there that cared. (If you haven't read the entry I'm talking about, you might want to read it before continuing on, as it will explain the thoughts preceding the ones I am about to share.)
I have spent the last two hours reading from a very good, very honest book by a man named Donald Miller. I actually picked it up on the way to the kitchen earlier this evening to keep myself entertained while I was waiting for my pizza. It didn't end up being much of a help, since my people-watching skills are so expertly honed, but it did make its way to the side of the futon...making it conveniently within my reach after I submitted my last entry. I had intended on going for a walk, but instead I reached for the book, deciding that at 1 AM on a Saturday night in Marion, I had a significantly smaller chance of getting raped while sitting on the futon than out strolling the sidewalks of campus. And not having anyone to tell where I was going, or anyone to know whether I made it back safely, I chose to cuddle up in a sweatshirt and read for a while.
Which was so good, because as I began to read, I realized that the author of this book had dealt with all the same questions I was dealing with presently. And while he didn't provide an explanation to the evil that exists in the world, he did make some very astute observations.
Miller talked for a while about how many Christians tend to see the Bible as source that must be translated into a stack of lists, charts, and diagrams. "How to Find Your Spiritual Gift—Romans 12;" "Becoming a Woman of Noble Character—Proverbs 31;" "Spirituality Checklist—Galatians 5". But really, the Bible is a compilations of stories and letters poems—sacred for sure, but meant to be read in an original context of meaning. No one reads the Scarlet Letter and comes away with a 3-Step Plan for dealing with adultery, nor does anyone delve into the poetry of Dickenson to list the results of loneliness. Even the thought of such a thing is absurd. So why do we approach the Bible the same way? This observation caused me to think about my preconceived notions of Scripture and the way I had read the Bible throughout most of my life. "Do this. Avoid that. I get it." Thinking of it as a piece of divine literature makes it, I don't know, a bit more appealing.
And when viewed as a story, the whole account of mankind from Genesis up through Jesus' life on this earth seems to make a lot more sense. I still don't know why God does not intervene in circumstances such as the ones I mentioned in the previous posts. But I see Him now as a very logical (though deeply emotional) Being who knows what He is doing, even though I might not understand Him. It is the only logical conclusion to come to, when you think about all of history that would have had to be forged and all the people that would have to blatantly lie and never be found out in order for the story about God creating the world and Jesus walking the earth to be true. And when you look at the words of Jesus in the gospels, they are so other-worldly that I honestly don't think someone could have made it up. I think that if I could take my view of Scripture off of the flannel board for two minutes, I might be able to experience the truth of the story.
This is all to say that, while my questions regarding suffering and pain are still not answered, I am no longer wondering about the existence of God. I don't think I honestly ever did, to tell you the truth. After thinking about the existence of stars and thunder and the complexity of the human mind to create beautiful artwork and write computer code and memorize the words to songs, I would be insane to believe we are all some accident, a result of a star exploding or the process of evolution. The nature of this God of mine is somewhat of a mystery, but His existence is not.
I will not bore you any further...I think I've shared my quota of words tonight. Must've been that coffee or something.... But anyway, I am going to go get some rest. Everyone have a good night/day/afternoon/evening/whatever. | | |
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