Contra

Don't let this make you think I'm any great guitar prodigy. I played for a year...a year ago. For some strange impulsive reason, I've decided to bring it with me to DU. I've played too many instruments in my life: viola for one year, piano for seven, and harp for ten. Obviously the harp is the one that stuck with me, but I'm not about to cart a harp off to college. Music has always been a part of my life (since I've never been the athletic type) so I feel the need to bring some instrument with me. Odds are I will never pick the poor thing up again once it has been perched on it's stand, but you never know. This particular instrument is also important to me because it was given to me by my grandfather whom I love very much. Maybe it will also serve as a reminder of him and my whole family.

hope.

Now that I am truly alone for this last week before school starts (Kate and Max are gone), I'm not doing much these days except for making a massive to-do list and working. So forgive me for posting pictures that I took on not-today. 

This is one of my best friends, Riley. Like I said in my previous post, I was hanging around the CU campus two days ago, being a nuisance to all my friends there, and we decided to go on a stroll. I love this picture for what it represents. Awe. Intrigue. Hope. Riley and all the folks at CU seem to be having the time of their lives and are in love with their school. And how can they not be? Look at those flatirons behind him. Although I decided CU was not for me, I hope to have the same sense of high regard for DU.

Surprise!

Last night, I went over to CU to see some friends and we wound up going to see a play in Boulder. Prior to that, we went to Pearl Street, a local outdoor shopping mall where street performers play or juggle or stuff themselves into tiny boxes or what have you. Completely unexpectedly, we ran into our friends from high school, Marty and Dallas, who were performing. Marty was playing his violin (which he is AMAZING at and is pictured here) and Dallas was accompanying him on a variety of instruments like banging on a water jug and they both sang along. Another girl I didn't recognize was playing the tambourine with them for a while. After the play, I went on the roof the Sewell dorm with some friends and that same girl who played the tambourine was there. Those random chance encounters as well as other events of the evening created the theme of the night: life tends to take us by surprise.


I really love the angle of this photo. As a member of the yearbook staff, I had to take a lot of pictures of band and orchestra concerts so I got a lot of practice with what were good (and bad) angles with instruments.

Roll To Me

My friend, Kate, made a list of things she wanted to do this summer; one of those things was "Make sushi." So that's what we did last night. She, Max and I went to Whole Foods and bought all the makings for our very own sushi bar. We made everything from California rolls to Rainbow rolls to our very own "Monster Roll" which was made up of everything we had left at the end (we probably could have done with about half the ingredients we had bought). By the time we were done making it all, we were too full to eat any of the final product because we had been eating the "nubs" on the ends and all the pieces that fell apart. Luckily Max's family was more than happy to eat the rest. I was actually extremely proud of our work. They tasted really good and all the colors of the various rolls were stunning, so I just had to take a picture. I love the contrast of the colors from the deep red of the tuna to the striking orange of the salmon and carrots as well as the detail of the (delicious) rice.

Burn, baby, burn...

Yes, you are seeing clearly. That's a burning teddy bear. Last night three of my friends and I had the ACTUAL last bonfire. Our burning fuel of choice? Flammable bug spray and a few mementos from some of our past failed relationships. Who knew teddy bears burned so well?

Like my friend Max explained, it's not like we resent the people these mementos represent. It's not like every time we see these items we burst into tears. They're just a reminder of a past we would sometimes prefer not to remember. Our burning ceremony was not merely sacrificial (poor Teddy...), it was about making room for our new memories to come in college and, well, torching the old.

From Louisville to Denver

One of my fellow classmates in my FYS class, Hannah Luvisi has her own blog, which she titled "From Louisville to Denver." When I first saw this, I got all jazzed thinking that there was somebody else from my small suburban Colorado town just 10 minutes away from Boulder and 45 minutes away from DU that would be in the same class as me. It took me a while to figure out she's from Louisville, KENTUCKY--not Colorado. Loo-ah-vul. Not Louisville.

If nothing else, this time stuck at home while all my friends begin their college lives has given me plenty of one-on-none "me" time. As an only child for 12 years of my life, I had always been good at playing by myself but as of late, I had kind of forgotten how to do it. So yesterday, after taking my dilapidated bike into the shop, and wandering around Target, spending too much money, I got myself some lunch and went up to a tech center up on this hill overlooking all of Louisville (MY Louisville) and enjoyed the view. Voila, this picture. Louisville is a simple town, but a cute town. Good restaurants, good schools, nice houses, a street fair every Friday night during the summers... Though somewhat plain, I've always considered myself a resident of Louisville, even though I live in Erie (a 15 minute drive from Louisville). I've gone to school in Louisville all my life and all my friends live there so I practically live in Louisville. It's a good place. I will miss it.

"THIS...is American Idol"

Just a heads up, I've got not one, not two, but THREE pictures for today.

So last night, my mom and I went to the American Idol Live Tour concert. Yes, it sounds really dorky. My mom and I used to watch the show religiously, not so much this season, but it was kind of our first time having a night of just me and her in six years (since my sisters were born) and our last time (since I'm off to college in one week, four and a half days...not that I'm counting). The concert was actually really good and really fun!

The first picture is of Casey James, the resident country boy of the show this season. The reason I love this picture so much is because of the lighting on the guy and girl taking a picture from the audience. This pair was literally half the entertainment of the night. The girl and guy (whom I called "Blonde Spicy Thang" and her "Sassy Gay Friend," BST and SGF for short) were having the time of their lives! They knew the words to every song and were dancing and singing to each other and were just hilarious.

The second picture is of Crystal Bowersox, the flower child and runner-up who, in my opinion, should have won. The girl has got some pipes. I love this picture because of the lights. As a future Digital Media Studies major, I loved this concert because each performer had their own graphic design theme going on on the screens behind them with a light design to match. And yes, that's BST and SGF framing Crystal in the lower right hand corner.

Last was Lee Dewyze, the winner of season nine. The reason I like this photo is because I was amazed how much my simple little Nikon digital camera could zoom in from the 12th row! I think this is pretty damn good for the 12th row.

At one point during the concert, the performers went through a spiel about how all their dreams came true because they didn't listen to the people who told them they couldn't do it. It was cheesy, but somewhat inspiring. Ever since I decided I want to work in the magazine industry, everyone has told me magazines are going to die out and I should pick something else to do with my life. I'm tired of hearing it and I'm going for it anyway.

Two more things: 

1) sorry for the lengthy explanation today.

2) thank you to everyone who has given me such wonderful compliments on my blog! I'm really very flattered and feel more encouraged to keep up with the daily entries.

"Would you like that toasted?"

As all but about 3 of my friends have started their life in college, I've been filling all my time with working in the oh-so-very-noble profession of Sandwich Artist at Subway. I've worked there for two years and three months and I can't express to you in words how tired I am of it. I don't mind making the sandwiches or doing the cleaning, but some of the customers I have to deal with are unnerving. Luckily, I only have 5 more shifts to go and it IS helping me pass the time and make some money. But I can't wait for the last time I will ever have to say, "Footlong or six-inch?"

I love this picture. During the days I work, but almost every night I hang out with my friend Kate, who doesn't leave for the University of Minnesota till the 29th. I was leaving her house after watching TV last night and the clouds looked incredible. Kate's house is usually the meeting place for all our friends' get togethers so her cul-de-sac is a familiar sight, but this night the sky looked particularly ominous and spooky. In a word, "awesome."

The view from here

The Flatirons from Chautauqua Park in Boulder, CO. Sometimes I under-appreciate where I live. My cousins from Michigan just moved out here and every time I'm driving them around they're in awe. I drove them to their new high school--MY high school--on the route I took every day for four years. I had grown accustomed to it, but they saw it as beautiful. A simple hill with a bunch of suburban houses that lines an intersection was incredible because Michigan has no hills. The mere sight of the flatirons from afar put them into a tizzy. They were in shock when my step-dad explained to them how we have more sunny days than Florida. This picture basically embodies one of my top reasons I'm glad I'm staying in state. If I were leaving for Syracuse, NY in a few days like I had originally wanted, I would probably be freaking out at the idea of not being around this any more. There's other parts of me that wish for a new environment, but this is home.

I don't know what inspired me to take this picture. It was coming home from that last bonfire and having a laughter-filled night with one of my best friends, Jacquelyn, who left last night. It's the road right before I turn into my neighborhood, and yes, I was driving. I guess I wanted to mark the night or maybe this view resonated with me. An empty stretch of road that leads into the unknown. Saying goodbye to all my best friends is not only a balancing act like I said before; it's scary. Sure, people say "We'll keep in touch" "This isn't the end" or my personal favorite, "It's not 'goodbye,' it's 'see you later.'" But who can say that the time and distance apart won't take a toll on the relationships? We're all moving on, taking on new lives. We'll have less in common, less to talk about when we do see each other on breaks and when we visit one another. And it will be even scarier to try and replace those close friendships with new ones. For a while, we'll be alone on a long stretch of road. So maybe I do know what inspired me to take this picture.

The Last Hurrah

One of my least favorite things about going to DU this year is that I don't start school until September 6th. Probably 90% of my friends start school this week, which leaves me with two to three weeks without them. So this week, nay, this DAY has been and will be (it's not over yet) very tear-filled. I don't like goodbyes. They don't suit me well. I spent today with my boyfriend and best friend, Eddy Scott, who moves in to CU-Boulder tomorrow so this was our last day. Surprisingly, it didn't seem much different than any other hang out day. We went to Boulder, had burritos (a difficult task with my wisdom tooth surgery), walked around CU and saw his dorm building, went on a mini-hike in Chatauqua, went back to his house and helped him pack (a difficult task for my emotions), and last but not least, went to Cottonwood Park and slacklined--pictured here. For those of you who don't know, slacklining is the act of jerry-rigging a two inch wide rope in between two trees about two feet above the ground and then walking on it. I had attempted to slackline previously and was just about as good this time as I was before (aka NOT). As you can see, Eddy was clearly better. As I was driving home in the ridiculously down-pouring rain, I began thinking...aaand of course that led to crazy metaphors about life. Slacklining is not much different than what I'm going through right now. It's all about balance. Finding the balance between not having an appreciation for the past and holding on to it too tight. You can't have both, you have to find a middle ground. So in about forty minutes when I go to one last bonfire with some of my best friends, whom I won't be seeing for a while, I have to pretend I'm essentially walking across a tight rope. Balance.

What happens in Vegas...

So I admit, I have already failed at posting every day. But can you blame me? Yesterday was the first time I got a life since my wisdom teeth were violently wrenched from my head. To make up for it...TWO PICTURES.

So this is a continuation of the senior road trip. We made a stop in Vegas for two nights. I had never been to Vegas, whereas my whole family on my mom's side is in California so I've gone there every year since I was born. Although Vegas was SWELTERING hot and a bit trashy at times (since when is the Treasure Island show about scantily-clad pussycat dolls?) the architecture was unlike anything I've ever seen before. The Bellagio put me in awe, my friends who had been to Venice said the Venetian was spot on, and the City Center was a work of genius. This one is obviously of the Paris hotel with the (massive) Planet Hollywood shopping mall in the background. I'm so glad we stayed two nights there. Oh, and pretty sweet clouds too, huh?

PICTURA NUMERO DOS:

This is Cirque du Soleil. The most amazing thing I've ever seen. We saw the show on our last night in Vegas at the Wynn theatre and it was definitely the highlight of the trip. Cirque has tons of shows in Vegas at once; this one was called "Le Reve" (the dream in French). It was a water show (obviously), which we found very fitting since the five of us became friends through swimming. Plus, for a normal show the cheapest tickets are in the back row, but for this one, the cheapest tickets are in the "splash zone." Second row, baby. We were actually sitting right about in the bottom center of this picture and to the right. This picture does not do the show justice. The platform in the pool was just one of probably 20 different platforms that were raised and lowered throughout the show. The performers did the most unbelievable stunts you could imagine. As a self-professed theatre nut, I've grown obsessed with looking for slip-ups and all the technicalities of every show I ever see and I saw none. It was FLAWLESS.

Footsteps on the Beach

As I am somewhat bed-ridden (many thanks to my oral surgeon), I am not quite capable nor willing to go out and take pictures. Luckily, I got back from a senior road trip about a week ago, where I got some pretty good photos. One of our stops was Malibu...a predictable visit for a 5-girls-"beach and shopping beach and shopping beach and shopping"-vacay.

After driving around aimlessly with no real destination in mind, we stumbled upon Paradise Cove. When I say stumble, I mean stumble. I believe the words, "Just turn left here. Worst case scenario, we can turn around and go back to the pier," were said. Though a little cloudy and the water a bit chilly, it was a grand old beach day. I had lunch, I dared myself to go deeper in the water and jump the waves, I sunbathed, wandered around by myself and took pictures, and I got some one on one time exploring the other side of the beach with my friend, Kiki. I called my mom later that day to share my adventures with her. Much to my surprise, sh told me that Paradise Cove happened to be the very first beach I ever went to as an infant. The irony of this tickles my superstitious fancy. This road trip was very much a closure to high school, since the 4 girls I went with are some of my very best friends and we're all going to different colleges next year (very "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"). It was about saying goodbye to them, high school, and my old self. It was about saying hello to college, the future, and the unknown. So discovering that the first beach I went to as a child was the first beach I went to as an adult? Perfection.

This particular picture was taken when I took that stroll by myself and I randomly turned around, bent down, and got a shot of my footsteps I had just made in the sand. Now that I think about it, it just adds to this whole theme: looking back on the past and how far I've come, the changes that have been made, the path that I've chosen, and all those cliches. Gotta love 'em.

A First Time for Everything

Well, I never thought I would be the blogging type, but here I am. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cheyenne Michaels. That's the who. I'll be a freshman at the University of Denver in the fall. That's the what, which also leads us to the why. My first year seminar (the only class I am currently signed up for) is called "Personal Histories of Photography" taught by Roddy MacInnes, whom I've only heard wonderful things about. As my first college assignment, I have been instructed to start a blog, taking and posting one picture each day along with a paragraph about what each photo means to me.


Why did I choose a photography class as my first college course? I've always had a love for photography, though, I'll admit, I've never been as devoted to the art as some of my friends. More of a recreational hobby if I'm on vacation or bored. I was also an editor for the newspaper my junior year. I found it to have a weak appreciation for photography, partially leading to my switch to the yearbook. Last year, I was the editor of the Clubs/Activities section. Yearbook granted me some great experiences with photojournalism and graphic design--so much to the point that "when I grow up" I want to be editor-in-chief of a women's magazine.


So there you have it. A brief summary of who, what, and why. Hopefully through this blog you will generate a better understanding of the "who"...that's kind of my goal too.