Chelsea has been one of my favorite bloggers ever since I discovered her blog. Not only is she gorgeous, with a super-fun sense of style, but she also has this wonderful, bubbly personality. Chelsea agreed to answer a few questions for me, so check it out!
1. Tell us about yourself!Well that is a loaded question! Honestly I just skipped over this one and answered the rest first to try and warm myself up, but I'm not so sure it worked :)
Here is some demographic info: I'm 26, female, gay, employed by a University, live with my girlfriend and our two cats. I grew up in Southern California (any other Valley girls out there??) until age 15 when I moved to Washington, DC. I stayed in DC until I finished high school, then headed right back to SoCal for college. I graduated in 2001, then moved up to the Bay Area all by myself! I absolutely love living in the Bay... I find that many people I meet here are open-minded and accepting, and there is an endless supply of fun and interesting things to do. I'm not sure what I want to do with my life in the future, but I'm working on embracing the here and now in 2010 :)
Some of my favorite things (in no particular order) are: blogging, Harry Potter, sushi, hot days spent at the beach or pool, a good book that I can get all wrapped up in, singing along to the radio in my car, getting inspired by other fashion blogs, wine, my
girlfriend, shopping, and my cats! My passions include advocating for women in health care settings, helping to influence everyone to improve their body image and ignore the media's definition of beauty, and being part of the cause for equal rights for all people in America and worldwide.2. You walk down the street and meet yourself from 10 years ago. What do you say to past Chelsea?
Put that cigarette down (I quit 3 years ago, but wish I never had had to!). Your are beautiful just as you are... right now. And about that guy you meet in the Summer of 2001? Bad news. Haha, I guess I have a little advice for young Chelsea :)
3. You're at a coffeeshop and meet yourself 10 years from now. What do you ask future Chelsea?
Since I feel so much wiser now than myself at 16, I imagine I'll be even more of a know-it-all at 36, so I'd ask myself for advice. I wouldn't want to know too many personal details (takes the fun out of working it all out!), but advice would be helpful :) Oh and then I'd ask political questions (did Obama get re-elected? war in afghanistan/iraq/pakistan? same-sex marriage? universal healthcare??),
because it seems there is SO MUCH being worked out in this country right now and I'm sure there will be a whole new mess of issues in 10 years, but these are most important to me now. (Sorry to get all political on y'all! I try to keep that out of my blog, but I can't help it for this question!)4. What is your perfect winter day:
Even though I've lived in non-snowy climates most of my life, I absolutely love the snow and all the activities that come along with it! My perfect wintry day would be spent downhill skiing, breaking at lunch for hearty beef stew in the lodge, and then heading back up the mountain. I would end the day at my hypothetical cabin with a hot shower and home cooked (not by me) dinner. As my girl and I step into the outdoor hot tub for a soak, it starts snowing. And there's an ice cold beer in my hand. And then I win the lottery.
5. Do you have any great fashion-related guilty pleasure/faux pas stories to share?
Since started my blog, I've started to totally tune out at random times to brainstorm outfits. Nic's watching some sort of sports game? I'm thinking what can I pair my new oxford booties with tomorrow! Also, I almost always fall asleep to outfit planning. It's sick!
6. What do you want to be when you grow up (real or imaginary)?
Oh boy, the question of the moment! I am not really sure. Since third grade I have wanted desperately to become a country music singer (like solo artist Wynonna Judd or Jennifer Nettles of the group Sugarland). I know this is an imaginary goal, but I can't help but fantasize about it, especially while driving my car alone with the radio :) But in reality, I'm just not really sure anymore. I have been wanting to become a nurse practitioner for a couple of years now, but am questioning if that is what I really want. I am also thinking about teaching high school science and/or math or going for my masters in social work. I'm kind of in this existential crisis mode right now... there is just so much potential in life it can be overwhelming!
7. What is the last book you read? Would you recommend it?
I just finished The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes, by Diane Chamberlain, and I would absolutely recommend it! I love the way Chamberlain writes, and the intensity and excitement of the story made me hardly able to put the book down! Some of my other favorite books that this kind of reminded me of are The Lovely Bones and The Time Traveler's Wife.
8. If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with the time?
I would absolutely travel. I'd visit all my friends that are in other places that I just haven't managed to get to like New York City and New Orleans, and then I'd hit up all the places I've got on my travel list (and then some): Amsterdam, Egypt, Greece, Costa Rica, Puerta Vallarta, Prague...
9. What is the one, single food that you would never give up?
Burritos. They are the best invention ever... delicious, customizable, portable, can contain all of the food groups, good source of fiber... need I say more? Oh, but what about sushi?! I could not give that up either. I'm cheating and picking two :)
10. What inspired you to start blogging? How did you come up with "bright side dweller" as your title? What's your favorite thing about fashion blogging? I remember the first fashion blog I came across, Some Girls Wander. A fr
iend on facebook had linked to Emily's "big" blog, from which I found her fashioney one. I was instantly obsessed... I looked at every single outfit of hers (she has just beautiful clothes and very personal style), and waited impatiently for her new posts. Since she does not update Some Girls Wander that often, I just had to get my eyes on some other fashionable ladies, so I started exploring Emily's blogroll, and from there my passion/obsession for blogging was born. What I loved about all of the fashion blogs I came across was that there was such a rich diversity that is sorely lacking in the media, particularly when the subject is fashion. Women (and men!) of all different shapes, sizes, ethnicities, ages, locations, sexualities, disabilities (and plenty of other factors I am not recalling immediately) were proudly posting pictures of their personal style. I felt empowered seeing these images, knowing that each person had had the guts to put her or himself out there even if s/he did not look like a model, or fit into seven jeans. This, to me, is where fashion is... with real people. Runway shows are great and can be a good source of inspiration, but are also incredibly inaccessible to most women I know, and never make me feel more confident or improve my self-esteem. After spending months following countless fashion blogs, I finally decided to start my own. I named it "bright side dweller" because I consider optimism one of my most prominent personality traits. Sometimes I can focus on the "bright side" to a fault, having unrealistic expectations, hence the "dweller" part of the title. So there you go :) My goals for blogging were to promote health body image and self-esteem, break down stereotypes that people may have about gay women and fashion, and honestly increase my own confidence. While I feel like my blog does accomplish these goals in my/its own way, the community I have found, the friends I have met through blogging, and the creative outlet it has provided me have been the most treasured yet unexpected rewards.Thanks, Chelsea! Okay, everyone, go check out Chelsea's awesome blog, bright side dweller.
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