Why I am destined for film

Happy Monday, people!

Spring break is just days away-- in fact, it begins after class on Thursday (for me, at least)!

I won't be traveling, but the break alone will be good regardless. I did have the opportunity to go to Universal, but that offer was for this week. It's a bummer that my spring break doesn't line up with my cousins' spring break! 

I've had a pretty good week since my last update. I attended a film festival, a dance competition, and wandered the city with some of my old high school friends (from my graduated class). There were many pictures, lots of laughter, and much more. I will talk about the film festival later in this post. 

Before I proceed, I would like to announce (for those who haven't heard) that my braces are finally gone! Back to eating pizza like a normal human being without cutting it up with a fork and knife! :-P 

The obligatory selfie, post-braces.

After a long night with Edith at a very disappointing dance competition, we went back to my dorm to watch a movie and eat popcorn. We stayed up until 2 and she headed back to her room afterward. We had to get up early in the morning to meet with our friend who attends UGA, who'd be arriving at 8:30 a.m. by bus. We initially planned to have breakfast together and then part ways, but it turned out to be an adventure around the city. 

Upon her arrival from the bus station to our local Marta station, we greeted our friend and began walking to Dunkin' Donuts. While on the way there, a couple with their young daughter stopped us to ask if we could direct them to the aquarium. We agreed to walk them part of the way there, so we passed by the Westin and went all the way to Centennial Park, where the aquarium can be seen. They thanked us and went on their way, and we went back toward campus. When we got to Dunkin Donuts, I picked up an Oreo Mint Creme Donut. One word... delicious. 

A Coca-Cola painting next to the Tabernacle
More photos from my walk around the city can be
found on my Instagram here.

It's a shame I left my DSLR back at my dorm, because I could have captured many neat shots. Instead I relied on my phone to take photos. 

We decided to walk all the way to the Hilton Hotel to ride the elevator. I had attempted it before, but realized you cannot access the very top without a hotel card. We instead only went about halfway up the elevator, but got a great view of the city from it. Next time, we'll have to go to the top of the Westin together (something I've already done). I filmed a little bit of my view from the elevator. You can view it here. 

Later, we walked back to my dorm to cook a late breakfast before venturing out again. We made pancakes and bacon and lounged around a bit, waiting for the temperature to warm up outside...

...and boy did it get warm! 

We want all the way to 5 Points to shop, and while we were by the Marta station, we saw a cute pair singing and playing guitar in front of the station. To view a clip of the two singing "For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic" by Paramore, click here. They were a very talented pair. A man walked by and handed them what looked like a can of soup and canned tuna, to which they responded, "oh sir, we don't need this, we do this from the heart!" as they tried to pass it back to the man. It was hard to make out what the man said back, but something to the effect of "you may need it in the long run." 

After shopping at Rainbow for what seemed like forever, we walked to Underground Atlanta to explore some shops and booths. I discovered a chocolate shop in Underground and was pretty excited about it. Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations, as it doesn't compare to The Chocolate Fetish in Asheville, NC, nor did it compare to Kilwin's in Black Mountain, NC...but hey, it was chocolate. 

We decided to wrap up our time together by going to Johnny Rockets. Edith and Neeharika shared a Coke float, while I enjoyed a Cookies n' Creme milkshake. I love the atmosphere at Johnny Rockets, because they play strictly oldies in the background. I swear, I was born in the wrong decade! I was singing along to the music while my friends just sat there, clueless as to who Sonny and Cher were. Needless to say, I know where I want to spend my 19th birthday this year. :-)

On Thursday evening, I attended a film festival hosted by Campus Movie Fest. I'd heard about it just a little too late, so unfortunately I did not have anything to submit. I went to the festival alone, and was third in line at the red carpet outside the auditorium where we would be viewing the films. One of the crew members wore a black shirt which read, "Keep Calm and Film On" (a spin-off of Keep Calm and Carry On). The two girls in front of me were having a conversation with him and learned that he graduated from our college with a major in film. He expressed how much he enjoyed his job, which made me even more excited about advancing in film. Somehow, I got to talking with the two girls in front of me, and learned that one is a film major and the other a theatre major. Jasmine and Quinn were their names, and they told me they submitted a film for the festival and hoped to see it in the top 16. If you would like to see their film, visit this YouTube link. After talking for a bit, Quinn noticed my hat and commented on how she too loved Panic! at the Disco. We had the best conversation about the band and similar artists, and we decided to sit together in the auditorium. We sat through some incredible films, and let's just say... boy, does our college have talent! We exchanged phone numbers and plan to hang out after spring break. 

Back when I was in middle school, I was so sure of going into interior design or architecture, since I loved to design spaces. I would spend hours on an online interior design software, creating floor plans of my dream house. I can't tell you how many times I've recreated the design, but I will say that each floor plan improved every time. After taking an interior design class in 9th grade, I learned more about design elements and color. I really enjoyed the class even though it was a lot of work. 

Over the years, I considered the pay I would get and my likelihood of making a life-long career out of it. I decided in 11th grade that I was too wrapped up in designing for my dream house that I probably wouldn't be the best interior designer in that I would struggle to please clients. From watching shows on HGTV, I understand that pleasing a client can be a hit or a miss! Instead, I began to lean toward architecture. I had thought about it a lot in middle school, but I leaned more on the interior aspect of the design. I figured an engineering career would be better for me, but after having a hard time in math class throughout high school, I decided by senior year that it was something I couldn't pull off. Even though I spent a good chunk of my childhood making floor plans and designing roller coasters on the game "Roller Coaster Tycoon," I just couldn't see myself succeeding in that. I grew up with a camera in my hands constantly. So... film major it is! I had thought about photography, but I would be better off having that as a minor, since I still have a lot to learn about it, and I feel more opportune in the film and video major. 

Photo by Monica - August 2013

Also in middle school, I had this YouTube channel where I vlogged and made short comedic videos. Most of those are gone now, but my huge cooking show production my old Girl Scout troop made is still available on my channel. My drive to make videos for YouTube came from when my grandfather gave me a Flip video camera for my 13th birthday. I took it with me everywhere I went. Most of my middle school years are documented solely on film, until I later picked up a digital camera again during 8th grade. I plan to vlog again soon, but this time on a brand new channel. 

Photo by Natalie - June 2012 - Montreat, NC

My brother and I recently talked about the things we were both destined to do for the rest of our lives. He's a very dedicated baseball player, so I'm pretty sure you readers could figure out what he's aspiring to be. Yes, that's right, he wants to get drafted into Major League Baseball. He works hard at it, day and day out, practicing for long hours between homework and other things. We agreed that it must be these things-- these hobbies-- with which we have stuck for many years, that ultimately hint at what we want to or are destined to do. This isn't always the case for some people, but for us, we know it's true. It is in our hearts. I want to work on a film set; he wants to work on a baseball diamond. They say, "if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life." I hope I find that to be true when I get my dream job. 

So what is my goal with film? Well, to be honest, I haven't quite figured that out yet. I've considered two different paths-- one being directing, the other being a film editor. Both would be incredible jobs, but ultimately I hope to get to work with a camera directly. I hope in the near future I will find a job on set of The Walking Dead, or perhaps intern over at Jackson Spalding.

Below is a photograph of me sitting in my late grandfather's lap, holding his video camera. One of his many hobbies (besides wood-working and completing crossword puzzles) was film and photography. Last year, I created a Facebook fan page for his work which can be found here: Robert C. Kirk Photography. Speaking of my grandfather, in about 9 days we will have reached three years since he passed away. It is so hard to believe it's been that long...

Bob and Kelsey, Easter 1997 (?)

Have a great Monday, ya'll. Get out there and make your dreams come true. 

Until next time, 

Kelsey


P.S. The new Song of the Week is Panic! at the Disco's "This is Gospel." It is one of the best music videos I have ever seen, and evokes all sorts of emotions. I find it very fitting, at the moment. Enjoy. 

If you need help, just ask. (& stepping out of your comfort zone)

Hey ya'll!

It's been about two weeks since I last updated. Things have been crazy, but productive nonetheless. I'm about to enter an even harder week than the last two, since we're approaching the midpoint in the semester. This means I'm just halfway there to my summer break, and 3/4 complete with my first year of college. 

**If you want to skip ahead to get to the main purpose of this blog post, you'll find that just after the concert photography.

So, where have I been? Well, a lot has been going on! First let me share with you a couple photographs I took on my walks to class. 

Hurt Plaza

You know you're in the ATL when...

Gotta love Atlanta (sometimes)!

The week following Snowpocalypse II, my friend Edith and I started going to the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We haven't actually gone to the gym together since then, but I hope she will soon join me once we get through the next couple "hell weeks" before spring break. Getting back into the routine of attending a gym has been a challenge, since injuring my knee after graduation from biking (a little background on that-- I biked a mile a day after graduating, and one day felt a little too ambitious and decided to bike over 5 miles... whilst screwing up my right knee... I was out for MONTHS of doing anything other than walking. Yes, that included skating!). What I like about attending the gym with a friend is that it helps alleviate some anxiety I have about going. For someone who used to be pretty athletic, at times I find walking in there intimidating. Seeing people run around the track, swim laps continuously, or just tearin' it up on the elliptical-- I'm not ready for that like I once was. It has been saddening. It feels like I've had to start over, but it is harder than I remember it. I have set a goal to get back into skating this year and practice my skills... by the end of the year I hope to master the 25 laps in 5 minutes! While I played junior roller derby in high school, I could do only 23 laps in 5 minutes. What if I tried now? I probably wouldn't make it to 20. 

Yesterday, I was hoping Edith would go to the gym with me again since it had been a couple weeks. Sadly, she could not because of her workload. Disappointed, I thought about staying in bumming around about it, but then I remembered the discussion I had earlier that day with the nutritionist. My nutritionist had a graduate student join us in our appointment together and they wanted me to readjust my goals which I had set last time. What I like about seeing the nutritionist is that she doesn't come off as judgemental by any means, and she encourages me to set little goals rather than set a huge one that would take some time to accomplish. Anyway, one of the goals we set yesterday was to go to the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays, regardless of whether or not Edith would be able to join me. With that in my head, I threw on my gym clothes and laced up my tennis shoes and boarded the bus to the fitness center. As silly as it sounds, it was a huge step out of my comfort zone. I managed to get 5 miles in on the stationary bike in just over 30  minutes. I am feeling pretty accomplished... and very sore! 

Taking a selfie break after jogging a bit! Yes, that's Edith.

At the end of the week, I hopped on Marta to head to my home church to talk about the importance of mission trips in our youth group. I'll post more about that later in this post. For now, here are some pictures of my presentation:

Photo by Les Cook

Photo by Les Cook

While doing some grocery shopping recently (after eating everything during the Snowpocalypse due to cabin fever), I made some new discoveries. Delicious discoveries. I think the pictures below should sum it up for you without me telling you:

Why yes, those ARE birthday
cake M&M's!

Taken from my Instagram
Cookie Dough Oreos taste great, especially with milk.
They have a mocha flavor to them, too.
Subway Flatizza? About as good as their pizza!

I bought some graph paper recently and finally started getting back into one of my hobbies-- interior design. Back in 9th grade I was certain I would make that my major in college, but things have changed and I don't feel as destined for interior design as I do in film. Aside from that, I still enjoy sketching floor plans, typically plans which would be the foundation of my dream house. When I'm older, and hopefully a well-off film director, I would like to have a house which contains a retro diner kitchen and a mini movie theatre. Yeah, yeah, dream big, Kelsey.

Drawing the plans for my retro diner! :-)

Lastly, before I proceed to the main topic of this post, I just wanted to throw out there that I went to a really awesome concert at the Masquerade the other night! No, we didn't break the floor. :-P The concert was located in the upper level of the Masquerade ("Heaven"). I was a bit nervous being up there mainly due to the experience I had at the last concert where the floor cracked. I was hoping the concert would be held int he lower level of the Masquerade ("Hell") but alas, it was not. The Fratellis put on a great show! I'm a sucker for Scottish music, and they are one of my favorite indie rock groups, followed by Franz Ferdinand. 

Outside of the Masquerade

Jon Fratelli

Barry and Mince Fratelli

Moving on...

This blog post is going to be different from the others I have posted. What I mean by different is that I am going to be taking a look at the simplicity of asking for help when you need it. 

Back in the summer of 2013, a few weeks after the Montreat Youth Conference, I went with my youth group to Heifer International's ranch in Perryville, Arkansas. Let me tell you-- that place was in the middle of nowhere... and I'm not kidding. The town had two dollar stores, a Sonic, and a Mexican restaurant. That's it. Grocery store? Oh, that burned down some years ago... 

Anyway, the trip to Heifer was for our annual mission trip. This was my first mission trip experience, as I had never been on one in the past. I didn't originally plan on going, but one of my friends convinced me to go last minute. 

We endured the first 4-5 hours of the trip on the rental bus on the first day (early July, just after Independence Day). We stopped in Tupelo, Mississippi, home to the late Elvis Presley. We stayed in a church in Tupelo overnight, attended their service in the morning, and spent another 5 hours on the bus to get to Perryville.

Elvis statue in Tupelo, MS

When we finally arrived we were introduced to our leaders for the week: Keely and Maddie. They were there to guide us throughout the week and educate us on Heifer's mission and purpose. Heifer International works with communities to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. With that in mind, we really got a better understanding of what that meant after our week on the ranch.

Beautiful...

The village was just behind those trees in the front

To summarize our week on the ranch, we spent a couple days working in the fields, caring for the animals, and doing maintenance. A couple other days we learned how to make tortillas and were educated on composting, and even made our own pizzas completely from scratch using resources they had on the ranch (yes, goat cheese and tomato sauce made from the tomatoes in the garden). We did team building exercises which would help us prepare for our experience in the Global Village in which we stayed for one night (Tuesday). Those team building exercises really stuck with me, aside from what I learned that night in the Village. 

Camel time!

Dinner time in the Urban Slums of the Global Village

One of the things I've carried with me since the mission trip was "if you need help, just ask." It is such a simple phrase, but asking for help may not seem so simple at first. I have always been a bit stubborn about asking others for help. Part of that is my pride, because I feel like I can do things on my own. I learned this year that sometimes you can't do everything all on your own. More often than not, we need someone to help us out along the way. 

Since 2011 I have been struggling with grief over the loss of my maternal grandfather. He and I were very close throughout my life, so when he passed it tore my heart at the seams, as it did many people in the family. At the time I was busy holding myself together so my sadness wouldn't affect my family around me, so I guess you could say I was the one trying to keep the strength. Well, not talking about it has led to my grief getting progressively worse, and I miss him now more than ever. I found it easy to just shake it off and tell others "I'm fine." But I needed help. I needed someone to talk to. Someone to help me find coping mechanisms which would help me move forward. Not only that, but I also let my health go a bit, especially this year in college. My motivation declined due to grief and stress, so I would snack a lot and bum around, not keeping active. I needed someone to help get me back on the right track to a healthier, happier lifestyle. 

So exactly how does this relate to what I learned on the mission trip? I'm getting to that.

On our last day at the ranch, we did an interesting sort of team building exercise. We were blindfolded and taken to a maze. We had to pair up with a couple other people and work together to find the end of the rope while holding on to it. All our chaperones and leaders wandered the course to say, "if you need help, just ask." All of us communicated with one another, still blindfolded, trying to find the end. When we thought we were close, we were still on it. People were talking around us, trying to figure it out themselves. I could hear some of my friends ask for help, but me and my group were still too stubborn to ask because we were confident we would find the end soon. As things got quiet, and as time elapsed, I grew tired of trying to find the end, so I asked one of our chaperones for help. He came over to me and removed my blindfold, told me to be quiet, and to join the others from our group. When I sat down with my friends who made it out of the course, I realized something... there was no end to the rope task. I mean literally no end-- the rope was wrapped around several trees so we were basically going in circles! The purpose was to get us to ask for help. Let go of your pride for just a moment if you find you are unable to solve the problem yourself. It is perfectly okay to ask for help. It just takes three simple words and one simple, four-letter question: I need help. Can you help me?

Heading to the rope task, blindfolded.

So that's what I did. When I started my second semester of college, after settling in to my dorm on campus, I visited the counseling center to see who I could talk to who would help me to get to feeling better. Seeing a counselor has helped a lot. While it doesn't fix things, it allows me to release what is on my mind and having someone to just listen and offer advice at my request. The nutritionist has been awesome too, by helping me with my goal setting. 

If you find yourself struggling with an assignment, a loss, or any other situation you are in, ask somebody for help, whether it be a friend, classmate, family member, or a professional. Asking help is just another step toward moving forward, no matter what your situation is. 

Another thing which was implied in our experience at Heifer was stepping out of your comfort zone, or for some, "sitting on the hat brim, and dangling your feet into your comfort zone" (quoted by our chaperone, Becky). That is what we all did when spending the night in the Global Village. The purpose of the Village is to simulate what it is like to live without the luxuries many of us who are well-off have here in the United States. We did not have the luxury of a surplus of food, a toilet, comfortable beds and couches, nor electricity. Each house was different in some way-- the way they were built, the size of the house, and the flooring. Some of us had to sleep on dirt, others on wood. We were required to bring a water bottle, but everything else was optional. I decided to get the most out of the experience as I felt comfortable and brought my backpack with bug spray, long pants, and my camera (to document everything I could). Not all of us had food, so we applied our team building skills and worked together to enjoy a meal of rice and vegetables. Needless to say, we missed our burgers and cookies! Sleeping was the worst part, though. I missed my bed, but the experience made me very grateful for the luxuries I'm able to have at home that others around the world may not have. 

Urban Slums - the ranch's Global Village

Stepping out of your comfort zone is important because it can educate you or make you more aware of things and even make you more aware of yourself.

I've done a lot of things pertaining to stepping out of my comfort zone. The first one is obvious-- asking for help. I'm usually not comfortable asking for help, but I did. 

More recently, I stepped out of my comfort zone to publicly talk about my grief through slam poetry/spoken word. A few weeks ago I began writing a poem about the day my grandfather passed. When I heard my church's annual variety show lacked talent acts, I decided to finish up my poem (mind you, in a hurry) the night before the variety show. Discussing this loss wasn't something I had really done in public, but through the medium of poetry, I moved the people at my church more than I had anticipated. I'm glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to share such a personal aspect of my life with one of my dearest communities. 

As I wrap up this post, I just wanted to say, if you are in a position like mine or something different, step out of or dangle your feet into you comfort zone, and don't hesitate to ask for help. It is one of the best things you can do for yourself.


Until next time,

Kelsey

Snow storms, ice storms, & earthquakes-- oh my!

Hello, everyone! 

Happy Sunday! To my Walking Dead fans out there-- what did you think about the return of Season 4 last week? It was something else, I must say. Very suspenseful, and surprisingly a bit comedic. I am looking forward to watching the show every Sunday with a couple of friends here on campus. 

Not only am I looking forward to evenings of zombies, but I am also looking forward to going to church next Sunday! Today, my friend Andrew whom I've known since high school (also attends my college) invited me to check out a nearby Presbyterian church with him, since he knew I attended one back home. I agreed to go and at 10:30 this morning we walked over to the church. Next week will mark its 156th year! It's been restored over the years and it is quite lovely. It has a balcony in the sanctuary which wraps around the wall. The pews face inward to the center of the pulpit. Suspended from the ceiling was apparently a new addition to the sanctuary-- 3000 origami cranes strung on several threads! Everyone there was so welcoming and the service was short but enlightening. During the sermon, the preacher added a personal anecdote, reflecting on the barn dances we have at Montreat (yes, indeed, he did bring up Montreat!). The overall concept of this service was synergy (by definition is the interaction between two or more organizations to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects) and he finished with the remark about Montreat and how, at the barn dance, it doesn't matter your age, gender, sexuality, nor race-- everyone is there dancing together to have a good time and to celebrate their faith. Needless to say, I'll be going back to the church each Sunday if I'm on campus and not at home. 

Origami cranes hanging from the ceiling

How did everyone do in Georgia's second snowpocalypse? I feel we were better prepared this time around. Classes were cancelled a day in advance, though during the first day of snowpocalypse, Atlantans received rain instead of snow. It was a good day for me, though, being able to catch up on homework. The second day, the snow fell, and the third day it iced over a bit, making the land one slippery place to trek. The weather warmed up by the third day, though. The sun was out and began to slowly melt away the remnants of the snow. I decided to check out the city, in hopes of going to the top of the Westin or the Hilton to get a different photo overlooking the snowy city. 

Early morning - snow!

Daytime

Freedom Parkway

ICE

MORE ICE

Obligatory "I'm about to freeze
my butt off" selfie.

When I got to the Hilton, I bought a frappucino before attempting to go up the elevator. I'm not much of a coffee person, but I had a sweet tooth and the Starbucks was all out of hot cocoa syrup! When I reached the elevator, it arrived, and I boarded. Much to my dismay, it asked for a hotel card to use the elevator. Instead of waiting around for a hotel guest to board the elevator, I went to the enclosed bridge which connected the Hilton to the Marriott and walked across it. I wound up cutting through a business conference! I went up the escalators to find my way to the Hyatt, but opted out of going into the Hyatt and instead wandered on down the street. I found myself outside of the Hard Rock Cafe, just a block away from the Westin. I passed by Hooters and the Ritz Carlton. Workers were either salting or shoveling the sidewalks. I decided to walk in the direction of the Tabernacle, and though I didn't pass by it, from a distance I took a photo of the Tabernacle with Skyview Atlanta in the background. I decided not to walk all the way to Centennial Olympic Park, but instead I went to the Westin. 

Look at that beautiful blue sky.

Empty restaurant at Peachtree Center

The Tabernacle and SkyView Atlanta

Can't remember which building this is... but it's cool.

Selfie at Hard Rock Cafe

The Westin

View from bridge between Hilton
and Marriott

Nothing unusual
here, just freezing.

I was wearing my Panic! at the Disco hat from last week's concert, and the bellhop immediately commented on it. "Yes, I was one of the many hundred out on Luckie  Street the other night." We had a conversation about what went down, and the bellhop shared a story of his experience at the Tabernacle a few years ago. After our conversation ended, I asked where to go in order to ride the elevator to the top of the Westin. When I got to the 5th floor, one of the hotel clerks said it was closed because of the inclement weather. Disappointed in not being able to capture the snow-covered city from above, I trekked back to my place. I considered taking the subway to get to Oakland Cemetery, but opted out of the slippery walk to the station. 

Wrote my name in the snow, again.

Across from the Ritz-Carlton

Auburn Avenue?

One of my favorite shots taken with my DSLR rather
than with my phone.

So artsy.

For Singles' Awareness Day-- err-- Valentine's Day-- I went home because I took on a babysitting job for my friend's sister. We had a good time eating pizza and chocolate cake together. Later that evening, I didn't feel it, but my mother and thousands of other Georgians did-- an earthquake! Evidently, in South Carolina they had an earthquake which was a 4.1-4.4 on the Richter scale. It's been about 10 years since our last little quake, and I didn't feel that one either. Relieved it wasn't any worse! To learn more about it, click here.

Just a mockery of how we react to "disasters"
Hey, safety first!

I'm just throwing this out there-- I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day. I see it as just another highly commercialized holiday and a force driving us to remind us to express love for those in our lives. We do not need one day out of the year where we actually remember to tell friends and family that we love them. Instead, do it frequently (every day is more ideal). As for gift-giving, be spontaneous. Some of us expect too much on Valentine's Day. Me? I anticipate chocolate, but I don't expect it. Now, I don't mind getting extra chocolate for 'free' another day out of the year, but I don't need it. I just wanted to say I love my family and friends, every day of the year. By being spontaneous, I mean surprise your spouse with some roses on an unexpected day. Hand your best friend a chocolate when they aren't expecting it. Don't wait until February 14th to make them feel special or to make their day. 

My Valentine :-) love my pup!

I don't have much else to say about my weekend other than that I am looking forward to a better week from here on out as the last two have been a bit of a challenge in various ways. I'm going to start hitting the gym this week (finally!) so I can start strengthening my muscles for skating again. I plan to go to the rink a couple times a month, or more as my schedule allows. 

Hope you enjoyed the photography!

Until next time, 

Kelsey


P.S. I have updated the song of the week to Muse's "Apocalypse Please." Very fitting, I would say. :-)