The President of the United States

The President of the United States of America.

To the world, the President of the United States of America is a strong leader. The President is a head of a strong country that is feared by its enemies. Those who challenge the country and its leader know that they will be met with a fierce and swift rebuttal

To Americans, we look to this figure in times of crisis when we need condolences. We look to the President for solutions to our problems when the job losses are at the highest it has been in years. Americans look to the President when there is questions to be answered.

I think that we take for granted how lucky we are as Americans. Yes each President has had his problems and issues to deal with. In recent years, Bill Clinton "did not have sexual relations with that woman" he also "did not inhale". George W. Bush had the tragedy of the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2011 and Hurricane Katrina. Current President Barack Obama has had the tragedy of the New Zealand earthquake and the Japan earthquakes as well as its tsunami. Many are unsatisfied with how he has handled his time in office so far, but I ask this question: could you do a better job?

Its not just dinner parties, fancy vacations and the limos. They are pretty much responsible for the well being of our country.

I guess to every American, the view on the person in office will be different. I, myself, do have my political views and depending on the specific person I may or may not like them. I will always, however, respect the person who chooses to take on the responsibility of The President of the United States.

I am a hard core Wrapper. You know, like gifts, not like Snoop.

Note: I know we were supposed to "interview" someone who is an expert at something, but at the moment the only expert I can think of is me.

Growing up my dad has always been the one who has sewn the buttons on button-less shirts, changed the oil on all the cars and wrapped all the presents.

Present wrapping fascinated me. I used to just sit and watch my dad measure the right amount of paper for the size of box the present was in. He used to put tape in all the right places so that you would never be able to see it unless your nose was pressed against the package.

When I started working at a Hallmark store, I was so excited. I got to work in a store where they gift wrap things all the time!

Throughout my first Christmas season, I perfected my skills. I took a note from my dad's "book" and learned how to hide the tape. I measured the paper to the right size to fit the box and I creased the corners of the paper.

So far I have been working at hallmark for almost three years and have mastered my wrapping skills. i am at the point where I have learned tricks to make my wrapping more elegant. I pull tight on the paper giving the present a cleaner look. I learned the best place to put a bow to accent certain papers or box sizes. I am now the "go to girl" at work and within my family when it comes to wrapping.

The half full cup (Read this one second)

You can see the anxiety on her face. She is dressed in comfortable clothes looking like she has done this before. She checks herself in, gets her wrist band and has a seat in the small waiting room. The nurse opens the door and calls, "Chelsee?" and waits until Chelsee gets up and slowly walks across the room. The nurse brings Chelsee into a small side room and takes her vitals and asks a bunch of medical history questions; "Do you have kidney problems?" "No" "Do you have a history of heart conditions?" "No" etc. The nurse then produces a cup and Chelsee gets an expression on her face of just pure humor. Chelsee takes the cup and disappears into the bathroom and reappears a few minutes later and passes the now half full cup off to the nurse.
She sat herself down into a chair and just observed. All the coordinated madness captivated as well as mesmerized her. A different bubbly nurse walked up to her with all the necessary supplies to start an IV on Chelsee. She turned slightly pale at the sight of the supplies. "Um,  I think I should tell you that I have a severe anxiety of needles. They really freak me out.""Oh don't worry, I do these all the time!"
All you can hear is the smacking of a glove against skin as the nurse searches for a good vein on her to start an IV. A single tear rolls down her faces as the nurse inserts the needle into her hand. That's all that escaped her eyes. She sat there quietly and looked like she was doing fantastic. The time came around for her to walk into the procedure room. Chelsee slowly walks from the chair into the room where all the tears just explode from her face. She breaks down into hysterics and the only way she was calmed down was when the anesthesiologist pumped anesthesia into her IV. Calmness followed.

She hands me a cup. That means only one thing; I have to pee in it. (Read this one first)

(First person story)
Needles freak me out. I have four tattoos and two piercings besides my ears, but those kinds of needles because they don't look like what the really are. Medical needles are what freak me out and set me into anxiety mode.I recently had to get a series of epidural back injections to cure a herniated disk and a pinched nerve. I knew what was going to happen; a long needle was going to be shoved into the epidural space of my lumbar spine and a steroid would be injection. The doctors office gave me two options for the procedure: sedation or no sedation. Which did I choose? Hands down, I picked the sedation.
I walked into the surgery center dressed in my favorite pair of black yoga pants and my Zac Brown Band concert tee shirt. I was fine just waiting to be checked in. I got my wrist bands and sat down in the waiting room, where my foot began to tap up and down. The nurse opens the door, "Chelsee?". She stands there and waits as I make the slow walk to the door. The nurse brings me into this small room where she takes my vital signs and asks me a bunch of questions about my medical history. "Do you have kidney problems?" "No" "Do you have a history of heart conditions?" "No" "Do you bla bla bla bla" for a good 20 minutes.
When the questioning ended, she handed me a cup. That means only one thing; I have to pee in it. Fantastic.
By this time my hear is already pounding so hard I can feel it hitting the back of my sternum. I do what needs to be done with the cup and pass it off to the nurse. I begin another round of the waiting game; or so I thought.
A fun "motherly" looking nurse walks up to me with a saline bag, an alcohol swab and an IV starter kit. Oh boy! As she puts the rubber thing around my arm to limit circulation, I decided it might be the time to tell her about my anxiety.
"Oh don't worry about a thing! I do these all the time!" she tells me as she is smacking my arm feeling for my veins. My IV got started along with my tears, but I sucked them up. It wasn't until I had to getup and walk myself into the procedure room that I became hysterical. I cried so hard that I had difficulty breathing. At that point they didn't know what else to do but pump me full of drugs that knocked me out. I cant remember anything until I was home. All I know is that some cran-rasberry juice mixed with a little bit of apple was sounding really good and I made sure to tell my dad over and over again that he needed to go get some.

What is love?

Love. A feeling that is probably the most sought out emotion there is. It used to mean that when you love someone you are completely devoted to them. You will be there for them through thick and thin. You will call them just to hear there voice because you miss them so much. You are willing to make that commitment of marriage to them because you are so in love with them you can't imagine your life without them.

It seems these days that society has blown the word love out of proportion. I constantly hear people use the phrase "luv ya" to random strangers or people who they would not say they were in love with. I once was at one of my jobs and one of my coworkers was listening to music when she blurts out, "OMG I love this song!" Really? You would marry that song? You could start a family with that song?

 Many times you here people using the word to woo another as a way to get a physical relationship out of someone. I personally have been victim of someone saying, "Chelsee, I am in love with you," just to get in my pants. You see celebrities having hour long weddings and getting married dozens of times. This fake love is always in view, always there.

Merriam-Webster defines love as a strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties. So where did we as a society go wrong? Yes true love comes along, and when I find my true love I am sure that it will be the best feeling ever, but why did I have to deal with the false love? Who was it that said, "Hey, watch this. I am going to tell them I love you and watch what happens." Who gave the young society the idea that love is not such a strong emotion that should be taken seriously? I am sure I could rant about this topic for hours and throughout many pages, but to save you the trouble of your eyes falling out, I won't. I will say though that love is something that should have true, genuine meaning to a person. With that true emotion, should come the benefits of falling in love.

"Hey father, I can always give him the check, I am sure he would enjoy getting it from me anyways"--Me **Scowl**--Father

When I was in Kansas visiting my father for the first time, there was an incident where I was hit on by my father's best friend's son. When I proceeded to tell my father about the incident, he was not happy. I witnessed from afar the anger that a father could have about his daughter being hit on.

It was on one of my last nights in town. I was sitting in my father's garage eating homemade fajitas made from a cow that was freshly slaughtered the day before. Now before you get all grossed out, it was the best piece of meat I have ever eaten. My father's friend, Juan, had picked out the best cut just for me, his best friend's daughter. Just as I was taking my first bite into the delicious, juicy, goodness, Juan's son pulled up in his white Dodge truck.

My father proceeded to stalk over to the boy and began having a few short words with him. As my father placed his hand on the back of Juan's son's neck, he asked, "So I hear you were hitting on my daughter. That does not sit well with me. You see, your dad is like my brother, which makes you like a nephew to me, meaning she would be your cousin. We are in Kansas, not Alabama, that shit isn't cool. I don't want to hear about you hitting on her again. You will treat her with respect while she is here. Do you understand me?"

With every sentence my father completed, his grip on the back of the boy's neck got tighter and tighter. At the end of the speech, all the boy could do was nod in compliance. He never spoke a word to me for the rest of my first trip there. From then on it was always a running joke between my family that anytime my father had to interact with him, I would be more than happy to step in for my father. That I was sure the boy would gladly talk to me than my father. That joke was always met with a scowl. Whatever, I thought it was funny.

My father, Me and my Grandpa (on my father's side)

My Gramps Is My Rock

My gramps is my rock. He always has been and probably will be until the good Lord calls him home. My grandpa used to watch me when I was a baby all the way up until I was going to kindergarten. I don't mean all the time everyday watching me, but when my parents would be at work, they would bring me to my grandpa's house. When I just want to relax even at the age of 19, I still go over his house and just get away from it all.

Of all the years I have known my grandpa, I always find out more and more "fun-facts" about him every time we talk. One day we were discussing a topic I cannot quite remember, and his time in the army came up. I found out that my grandfather used to shoot down enemy planes in the Korean or Vietnam War. I can't remember which war it was and I am sure I could ask again but I don't want him to feel like I wasn't listening. In later conversations I found out that my grandfather was a volunteer fireman who fought wildfires in northern Arizona. I have always known he was a Police Officer for the city we lived in but I never knew what exactly he did throughout his younger years. My grandpa is not old compared to many people's grandparents so that is why every time I hear him talk about his many adventures, I am in shock he fit all of it in into his short amount of years he has been alive.

Here you go, here is another $600 you can have ASU.

I have been at my job for almost two years; in July it will be my two year mark. I get great benefits right now working there at the bookstore. I get my textbooks for free on a loan, I get 10% off everyday and even 20% on Fridays. My work schedule works around my school schedule, which is one of the reasons I wanted to work for the school. Well just recently I found out my whole working environment is about to change.

Arizona State University sold their bookstore to an outside company for many reasons that I am too low on the pay scale to know. All I know is that there are many changes that are being put into affect.

My day was going as usual; open at work, go to class for a few hours and then head back to work to close up for the day. That's when my co-worker dropped the proverbial "bomb" on me.

"Hey Chelsee, did you know that the bookstore got bought out? Yeah I don't know all the details but I know that ASU no longer owns their store."

Wow. After that one sentence I found out so much. My benefit of getting my books on loan at no charge, is now out the window. The discount will be different for me and so many other things that will personally affect me at work everyday. My one big reason for working there is now gone. The one reason so many students want to and enjoy working at the bookstore is gone. No more free books. Great. Now I will join the mass of other students who will hunt for the best price on books on places such as Chegg.com and Amazon.com. I am not looking forward to this.

That is as far as it goes for me being personally affected, but I have witnessed many things changing and many people who are not happy with those said changes. I have heard and seen people dropping numerous f-bombs and walking around the store not giving a hoot who hears or sees them. People have been restructured in the company to ensure that they have their job for at least a year but many are not happy of their position in the restructuring.

Everyday I learn more and more about what the future holds for us student workers as well as the full time employees. I can tell you that there are many people not happy about the whole thing, and quite a few who got a wonderful promotion in the restructuring and are thrilled. Where do I stand? Personally, I don't give a hoot what happens as long as I get a great benefit to replace the one about my books.

There is no better perfume than the sent of freshly popped popcorn--Me

I was fifteen when I got my first job. My mother made sure to tell me that if I wanted anything, material or in life in general, I needed to earn it. I had to work hard to show that I deserved everything I had. So I went out and job hunted. Many would disregard me because of how young I was, which by the way is age discrimination, but finally I found a place that would hire me even though I was so young.

I started my first day at a chain movie theater close to the end of my sophomore year in high school. I was so excited to have my first real job that wasn't babysitting. I remember being trained in the proper way to clean a movie theater and the correct way to sell people their popcorn. I loved it! I worked my butt off for six months showing my superiors that I am a hard worker and that I can handle responsibility and the increased level of stress that most people my age couldn't handle.

After those six short months my manager and my assistant manager decided that I was responsible enough to handle the promotion I had been working my butt off for. This meant starting work at 8 am on some weekend days as well as many nights leaving the theater well after midnight. I had to manage my co-workers and decide when their breaks would be as well as run a whole concession stand by myself during a huge summer blockbuster events. Meanwhile I had started school again, so I had to learn to manage working nights and weekends with my school and homework.

Here it is three, almost four years later and I still look back on that job and realize that it started to teach me how to balance work and school. It laid the foundation to later help me work two jobs and go to college full time, where the only time I had at home was the time I was alseep. I had to learn to balance college level classes as well as work. If I did bad in those classes, it could put my future career path in jeopardy. I know that working hard like this and showing an effort will help put me one step above the rest later on in life. All of my future success due to my hard work and dedication is all thanks to my mom who persuaded me to go out and look for a job when others still sat at home and did nothing all day.