Hello Film 150 World and anyone else lucky enough to stumble upon this humble blog!
Call me Chelsea. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; left for a couple years to explore the world and live in Paris for about two years, then straight back to finish up my degree. I was raised Catholic, Irish Catholic that is, with the guilt and all and continue to practice to this day. While I don't attend church as much as I am supposed to, I attended a Catholic High School that instilled upon me a certain level of faith in the church. While I don't feel comfortable rating my class back round, I will say that I have not had the pressures imposed upon me that money and class usually provide. Rarely have I needed to worry about funds, not simply because of my family; but also because I have been blessed or molded into an extremely hard working individual who can make anything within reason available. I am one of six children, 5 girls and 1 lucky boy who just happens to be the youngest. I am lucky enough to be the second oldest and the most grounded (only if you ask me). Caitlin is 24 and currently planning her wedding and I am not far behind in age at 23 but far from making the plunge into marriage and adulthood just yet. Kinnsael, Avonlea, Lisdon and Padraic are all younger than us and are all named after towns in Ireland; whereas, I am named after an antique store my mother loved in Door County, Wisconsin.
Coming from a rather large Irish Catholic family I have come to love and accept them in the best way possible. I admire many things not only about my immediate family but about my extended family as well. We all live in the same general vicinity, therefore I see more of my family than should be allowed. I admire many characteristics of my family and would not change them for the world but that does not mean there are never difficulties. What I would say I admire most about my family is our ability to stick together through difficult times and to laugh and enjoy each others company on a daily basis. What I enjoy more than anything is that if I ever find myself in a pickle, at least someone would lend a helping hand without expecting anything other than yard work in return. What I find difficult and quite interesting about my family, is the amount of people that are always around. One would think that having so many people under one roof would be enjoyable; yet, we always seem to find a way to annoy and banter with each other. In addition, each and every one of us is opinionated and stubborn, which can be a deadly combination in some cases. Nonetheless, you can't pick your family and I can't say that I would ask for any different in another life. I am blessed or cursed, whichever way you chose to look at it, with one crazy family who is filled with laughter, fun, and a bit of nosiness at times. These are the reasons I admire my family despite the difficulties on certain occasions.
In my family my role is the adventurous troublemaker who pushes the limits as far as I possibly can and makes no apologies unless one is due. My mother told me I was born with a mischievous grin on my face and that she knew from the get go I would be trouble. As the second oldest, I set the bar low by making a lot of mistakes and learning many tough life lessons early in life. Following in the footsteps of Caitlin, or as I like to call her the "perfect" one, has never been an enjoyable feat but someone had to mix things up a bit. Despite the rubble rousing and trouble making, I try to learn from my mistakes and take responsibility for my actions -usually not immediately but eventually.
What have I learned from my big crazy Irish family? I've learned a couple key lessons that I will impart on everyone. Family is the most important part of my life. Through all the ups, downs and zig zags they have been and will be there when I need them. I can't say for sure how this has shaped me as a citizen but I will say that my family has always inspired me to invite those who are not fortunate enough to have a solid family unit into my own. Extending my family to include the rest of the important people in my life who are not blood has made me realize how important it is to have a sense of community and a general care for the welfare of others. Being apart of a supportive community, in my opinion, is key when trying to make it through the years.
Thank you for paying attention to my mumbo jumbo of a life. I look forward to an interesting and fun-filled semester.
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