New Year, New Posts?

Dear Chummy,

Having both said that we miss keeping this blog up to date I have taken the responsibility of writing the first post. The first post in 7 months; the first post of the new year. I'm not going to bother with a catch up post, I'm not going to focus on the past. Instead I want to focus on the future because that's what gives me hope and I have high hopes for the next year. I want to actually sort my life out ya know (said every person ever), put effort in with my degree rather than pretend it doesn't exist, save money, sort out my love life and eat properly. I feel like 2016 is going to be the year that I actually grow up. I think it needs to be. I need to be happy. We have a few plans for the next year, and even though you don't seem excited yet, they're going to be great - and we're going to have more.

The most exciting plan is hands down going to be the Purpose Tour. I honestly can't wait to stand in that crowd in front of my idol, with my bestest friend. I can't wait to be singing our hearts out to songs that have helped me throughout basically all of my teen years, so cliche. Tour is going to be so much fun, posters and fairy lights. Imagine if we met him. After all this time. I say that like we haven't met him before but sometimes I don't really count that.

I can't wait to see some new cities with you. I've been looking into Madrid and there's mountains not far from the city and we can go on hikes, and it's a really historic city with heaps to do. I'm also thinking because it's still 11 months away, plenty of time to save money (don't worry just yet, and I got u anyway because I'm only excited about this because you're coming), Madrid is only £6 coach from Barcelona so it will be so easy to go there too for a couple of days - I mean we might as well. We can go to beaches too and definitely Justin's other spanish show ;). Oslo will be just as incredible, I'm excited to go in February so I can explore a bit and figure out where we need to stay and exciting things we can do - I bet there is some amazing hiking routes there too! And we can go sledging as well in knee deep snow and take LOADS of photos.

Here is a really good website I've found that looks useful: http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/category/spain/madrid - this is the link for madrid, but they have stuff on other countries too.

I've decided that this year I actually do really want to get the purpose tattoo. 2015 was a tough year for me, and if all goes to plan I can turn that around this year, put things right, find my purpose. On top of this I have always wanted to get a Justin related tattoo, a subtle one, and this seems perfect. I think I'll get it when we see him in Oslo, fitting. 

I'm 21 this year. Scary. I don't really know what to say about that so I'm just going to end it here. Dramatic.

Love and miss you more than anything.

Chelsea xx

Keepin' it Listy

Dear Chummy,

So I've been slacking, like really slacking, and this post is gunna be rubbish (note from the end: maybe not, I kinda like it) but I thought I best post something to fill the dry spell before I get back into it next week - which I will, I promise. I have so much I want to write about but we'll keep it listy.

A few years ago, maybe year nine, I got a little notebook and I started writing a bucket list in it. I still have that notebook and I still cross things off and add things in, so I thought I'd share some of the things I have done and things I still want to do. ok? good

So the first two goals on my list are:

• Get up at a set time everyday. - ok so we all know this still isn't happening, maybe i'll work on it. It's nice to see what was most important to younger me.
• Meet Justin Bieber. - now this one did happen. turns out it is actually easier to meet the world's most famous than it is to have a regular sleeping pattern.

If I turn over the page and pick the top two again, we have:

• Be happy. - pretty generic goal here, everyone's aim in life I suppose.
• Go surfing. - this is a nice one, I'd still like to do that but actually learn and do it properly, how rad would that be!

A few random ones from the rest of the many pages:

• Attend a film premiere. - well we did this one together, that was a really long day but I deffo wanna do it again, Mockingjay Part 2? Next Avengers? Anything Potter themed? Please?
• Make a list of 100 books.. read them all. - still yet to do this one. why? you ask, i don't know. It's kinda tough isn't it? I could've done it by now though I suppose.
• Meet twitter followers. - this makes me sound like I thought I was famous haha! I met Kitty I guess, I can't remember who else, you're better at this one than me.
• Climb The Eiffel Tower. - can we do this? It'd be oh so romantic.
• Drive a car. - another generic goal. Been there, done that, will probably do it again.
• Swim with dolphins. - younger me was probably scared from that time my dad took me to florida and everyone swam with the dolphins except for me because they didn't buy me a ticket - if he won't take me, i'll do it my damn self.
• Learn about Stars. - well I couldn't have fulfilled this one any more, I'm doing a physics degree after all.
• Throw out all of my underwear and start again. - this one fills me with excitement and anxiety, how great would it be to be able to do this, but all of my underwear? Are you sure younger me? What about my favourite bra? and ya know, those pairs that you save for that time of the month just in case?
• Be in a TV show audience. - I've ticked this one, counting This is Justin Bieber but really it'd be nice to be in an actual sitcom style show audience, ay.
• Florida with Georgia. - I am determined to make this one happen, I'm so excited it's unreal.
• Be inspired. - this is a silly one, most things I do are because someone inspired me but I guess I mean more deeply. Be inspired to change the world or at least make a difference.
• Inspire. - this is on there too, and that's nice. It's also less silly, it'd be nice to be someone somebody looked up to.
• Travel the World. - this was in a few more words in the book, naming places I want to go to but specifics are unimportant for this goal, I want to learn about so many different places and cultures and maybe learn some new languages. That'd be a dream.

I've already mentioned meeting Justin Bieber but there's a whole bunch of goals in this book dedicated to meeting some celebrity or another, these include:

• Justin, obvs
• Mcfly
• The Wanted
• Ed Sheeran
• Hunger Games Cast
• The Kooks 
• Taylor Swift

and you know what? I've ticked them all apart from Taylor and our chances of getting that tick are sky high, we got this.

This list was humbling, I mean younger me was ambitious but in hindsight, everything was realistic. Everything on the list is achievable. Yes maybe at fourteen/fifteen years old there were a lot of restrictions but I'm older now and I could do anything from this list that I wanted to, if I set my mind to it. Also, ambitious as I might have been, it's nice to see that I thought things like 'brush teeth twice daily' 'buy vogue' and 'dye my hair' deserved a place on the list of things to do before I die.

What's also nice is that most of the thing's I've actually ticked off, I've done with you and those I haven't ticked off I want to tick off with you.

In my head this was going to be a short post, but I really got into it - it was fun to write, and I'm putting off revision haha. 

Hope you enjoy this.

In a while, crocodile.

Chelsea xx

What day is it??

Dear Chummy, 

Like my last post, I'm starting this one by saying how busy I have been! I started work properly last week and boy was it fun! The late nights are really getting to me though, the amount of times I've legitimately completely forgotten what day of the week it is, haha. My first few shifts were also really scary, but I feel like I've picked it up really quickly! I find that it's a lot easier when it's busier.. I mean you have no time to think about what you're doing and you're just doing it, ya know? When it's quiet you start thinking shit, what if I mess this up? They're watching me! I also feel more pressured when people are shouting my name.. I get that a lot! And if it's not my name, it's Taylor Swift's name because apparently I look like her?! Cocktails are actually really fun to make.. I think I'm good at them, apart from when I get the glass stuck and bruise my hand trying to separate them! (another thing that's horrible when there are people watching me! - I'm so weak ahh). I think the best thing about where I work is definitely the people.. ah I love them so much! They say loads of cool things, in really cool accents and they're so much fun! They have so many stories to tell about places they've been and things that have happened, it makes me feel really boring! I feel like I have a little Aussie family, I literally can't wait for you to meet them :) :)

Even though I haven't worked for four nights, I've been asked if I wanna go out every single night, it's so nice aha.. I went out on Monday to this place called Mr Wolfs, I think you'd like it there. The music was so different! It was like bluesy, jazzy stuff like Elvis Presley and that Hit The Road Jack song it was so much fun. 

Since the last time I posted, I went on a really nice walk with Alex and Wez, #TeamCulture. We waited for the bus for like an hour but it didn't come so we decided to walk up to the Clifton Suspension Bridge. When the bus did come, it got stuck in traffic and we overtook it walking anyway so it wasn't all bad aha. We had a few drinks at a really nice (but pricy) pub there and then got fish and chips on the way home.  

 

 

The next day, I went to Nan's with Mum and Evan which was also really fun! We sang Taylor Swift in the car and had dinner in a little pub by the harbour and on Sunday we walked along The Hoe with ice cream before driving back here and having dinner out again! I love little trips away, even if it's just one night. It's so exciting, especially if it's last minute! Speaking of such things, I literally cannot wait to go away! I really hope Jess and Jasmine can come - I'll be really sad if they don't, it all seems so perfect right now. I also can't wait to get matching tattoos, they're going to be so cute.. do we need to book those? I'm hoping I can afford it (lol). 

I guess with the spontaneous holiday, tattoos and the culture-filled walks, maybe I am as interesting as the people I work with?? Nah, still not close!

DUDE! Can you believe it's April already?? How quick has the last year gone!! You've been living in your house nearly a year now, that's crazy! It's not even January but I feel like I need to do a recap of all the things that have happened in the last year..

(I said I feel like it, I won't actually do it though.. gunna save that for another post!)

Before writing this post, I read this one Matt and Bro Orange. It is really long, but it's a reallly good story, I loved it! Really inspiring actually and the videos in it made me want to make some when we go away, I kinda really want to vlog but that's scary ahaha. Let's just take lots of really artsy photos that we can post on here :) We can get some printed too and put them in our travel scrapbook (that's upside down and back to front!) we could also go to the travel agents and find a brochure on wherever we end up going! 

The flat is so quiet with everyone gone, but I don't really mind. There's lots of things I can do now, like singing as loud as I want, and walking round in my underwear, peeing with the door open and making as much mess as I want. Alex is back tomorrow though so I won't be able to do that :( He wants to use my room for his friends but no way, Jose! Like I probably could let him and just sleep at Walkies but it's my bed man (and he left me to tidy everything up) :((.

This is a really long post, I don't apologise.. I like how it makes up for the fact I forgot Wednesdays even exist last week and also how your posts have been short recently ahahaha. 

OH! I have a really really really good idea for your birthday present (YAY) I know you're going to love it! It might even be on time, but I know it doesn't matter if it's not so no pressure on me, yipee!

I'm going to leave the post here, and like before maybe even fill in the space from last Wednesday just because I have an idea.

Cya, wouldn't wanna be ya, 

Chelsea xx

Everybody Makes Mistakes

Dear Chummy,

I would like to fill this space with a small reminder that everybody makes mistakes, and that's okay. We're all human beings and we're allowed to mess up every now and then, you know. It doesn't matter if it's pointing someone the wrong way when they ask for directions or oversleeping by an hour, it's not the end of the world - everybody does it.

Here I would like to draw your attention to a very famous example. A young man who has, of recent years, been torn apart by criticism for all his mistakes, had his talent forgotten and thrown aside, most likely into the mop bucket in which he pissed, and lost not just one, but two of his loves. A young man who is of course Justin Bieber. Being thrown into the spotlight at such a tender age has been known to increase the likelihood of making silly mistakes, and even though these mistakes are usually no worse than those made by your average teenager, there's a lot more attention given to them. You are punished greatly by the public, shamed and embarrassed and used an example - as I am doing so now. The list of Justin Bieber's mistakes is rather extensive, those topping said list include: not watching where he's going and marking glass doors with his forehead; drinking milk before going on stage and throwing up (he's not likely to do that again); wearing clothes way too big for him (pull up your pants JB!); and obviously dying his hair bleach blonde! It can be said however, that out of all the mistakes Mr Bieber has made in his time, even the worst is forgivable. With a quick but sincere apology, any mistake can be rectified.

So, dearest Chummy, what I'd like you to take from this post is that everyone makes mistakes. Even someone as good looking as Justin Bieber. And even though you think it might be the end of the world, it's not because he's probably done worse or took the shame and embarrassment for you!

Justin Bieber learning from one of his biggest mistakes: suit choice.

Bye, bye,

Chelsea xx

Even Shorter, But Maybe Not as Sweet.

Dear Chummy,

It's been a really busy week, I've had lots of training sessions and lots of uni and not much time. I like being busy though, it makes me feel more productive - if I have a lot to do I'll get more done whereas if I don't have much to do I'll just put it off and then get stressed. Next week is going to be busier.. the pub is opening and I have lots of shifts and that's exciting, but it's also really scary - what if I'm rubbish at bartending?? Or fuck up people's cocktails?? I guess I'll learn though, confidence comes with practise, right?

I'm going to Plymouth at the weekend with Mum and Evan, I really can't wait it'll be so nice I hope we get to go to the beach!! Speaking of beaches, we are definitely going when I come to yours next month! I really want to swim in the sea, and lay on the sand - pls don't put sand down my top this time :((( I'm staying in Bristol for most of Easter which is going to be so weird because everybody else is going home and it'll just be me! I'll get lots of work done though hopefully and I'll have work as well which will keep me busy :)

I watched 50 Shades of Grey this week. I'm so glad I watched it online and didn't pay because it was so so awful. I had a frown on my face the entire time I watched it. I feel like I told you this on facetime but I can't even remember what day it was that I watched the film lol. But yeah, the film was real shit. Another unpopular opinion of mine this week is how angry Meghan Trainor's music makes me. I really dislike it. The lyrics in her new song really get to me aha I have v. strong feelings about this.

I feel like I peaked too soon last week with two posts because now I really don't know what to write about.. maybe I should have saved things to write about this week, oops. My mind has literally gone blank so I'm going to leave it here and let you use your imagination to make this post wonderful :).

Laters Baby,
Chelsea xx

The Second Post (WHAT? yes that's right)

Dear Chummy,

Look at this! I'm bloody on it! Second post of the day!

Did you know Australian's sometimes refer to Australia as Straya?! I learnt that today and I thought it was great.  The people I work with now seem so wonderful, they're all so lovely and funny - it's going to be so much fun - and I get paid to taste wine tomorrow :) :).

I'm so jealous you got to go to Madame Tussauds, I have never been and I really want to! The Taylor wax figure looks so good! Do they still have Justin? Or has he gone? His really needs updating! I am SO excited for Amsterdam it's unreal, I can't wait to book the actual flights and accommodation! Exciting!! Can we go to New York next year please? And listen to Welcome to New York when we land? Actually can we make a New York playlist? Here are some suggestions:

• Welcome to New York - Taylor Swift
• Theme from New York, New York - Frank Sinatra
• Empire State of Mind - Jay Z and Alicia Keys
• New York State of Mind - Billy Joel
• New York City - John Lennon
• Back to Manhattan - Norah Jones

Look at me getting excited for a trip that hasn't even been planned or talked about. 

I'm also dead excited for Florida in 2017 - I've been watching Sprinkle of Glitter's Disney vlogs and they've got me so so so excited!

I still have our scrapbook, we need to fill it! I think we should put all of our travels in it, so pictures from Amsterdam too (and New York). Ah it's going to be wonderful, even if it is upside down and backwards - oops. There's so many places I want to go to, I can't wait!

OMG just realised I totally have friends that live in Straya (gunna make it work) now! If you're on the same wavelength as me you'll know exactly what I'm thinking ;)

What else? What else? I wish I had some photos to put up but the only ones I've taken recently are with Sam and they're gross so......

I spotified Norah Jones to sample that Back to Manhattan song and now I'm just listening to her album - it's not bad, v chilled. Speaking of music, have you seen Carly Rae Jepsen's new video, it's great. The song's so catchy I love it! Until it gets overplayed like Call Me Maybe :(. I watched Selena's new video today but it was just like watching 4 minutes of her clubbing - I didn't really like it but I'm being really judgy so..

Do you think we should start following people? and labelling our posts? - I think it'd be really cool to see if people enjoy our crappy letters even though they probably have no idea what we're talking about half of the time!

Gunna leave it here because I've spoilt you, providing two posts in one day when I really should be doing uni work, this is much more fun though...

Bye, Bye!

Chelsea xx

Christmas in Brizzle

Dear Chummy,

I really enjoyed reading your post, how long did it take you to write? I've been sat here for a good hour staring at the screen. This is a lot harder than I thought it'd be!
Who is Ed Shering?! What even is that?! You're so right, she definitely doesn't deserve the CD for that, but I think your mum's great, and it is nearly Christmas, so I think I'll let her off!
I'm glad to read that you're as disorganised as me! I've literally bought Rosie and Evan a couple of presents and noone else yet. I'm normally so good at this, but I just haven't had the time. Now all of my Uni work is out of the way though, I think I might have a wander down to Cabot's Circus and the Christmas market tomorrow and see what I can find before I go home on Friday!

So this is the first year where I haven't spent the run up to Christmas at home with my family. I haven't opened my advent calendar with my little brother after his breakfast and I haven't decorated the Christmas tree or turned the living room into a grotto.
Instead, I've spent it in Bristol with my flatmates, opening my advent calendar minutes after midnight, because that still counts as being the next day, right? having Christmas dinner and a festive party two weeks early, and winning (Yes that's right, we finally won something!) the 'Christmas Dec Off'. So despite being bogged down with Uni work and yet another cold, I managed to have a rather chilled and Christmassy week.

On Friday night, Alex cooked me pizza and we watched a movie while everyone was out. Yes, you read that right.. he actually cooked dinner! I'm not convinced it counts though, he literally just had to shove it in the oven - I guess you know how difficult that is though ;). I'm not entirely sure where Saturday went, but Sunday was spent singing along to One Direction's new album with Hal while I revised and he baked a brownie and gingerbread house masterpiece! 'Sundays are for baking' - Quote of the day.

I was going to tell you about Monday as well, but I feel like this post has just become a day by day list of what I've and that's pretty dull, so I'll leave you this picture so you can figure it out for yourself. I'm not too sure you'll get it though..

It's weird you should say you were listening to She and Him's new album while writing your post because their cover of Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me has just come on. I know it's not from their new album but relevant, right? I love this song. I think she sings it brilliantly, I think she's brilliant. Can I be her now?

Tumblr Update: I deffo do too! I liked at least three things to show you today!

Also have you seen this? It's a couple of months old now but I know how you love cats so enjoy. http://hellogiggles.com/happy-world-cat-day-behold-14-photogenic-cats-internet

This post has definitely run it's course, so I'll leave it here :) [hope you didn't get bored (ahhh)]

Guess what!! 

Next time it's my turn to post, it'll be CHRISTMAS EVE! How exciting is that!!

Love you to where the Alians live and back..

Chelsea xx