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i hope everyone had a great holidays and is having an awesome start to 2011!

-jr

david re-deployed to iraq in march and will be promoted to Captain very soon.

chris got promoted to assistant manager in bellevue nordstroms (where he made me purchase 35$ collar stays the other day).

brit now has two dogs to take care of. they named their new dog yayyuh (pronounced yah yuh)

mom and dad are going to celebrate their 32nd year of being married next month.

events i’ve done in the past two months:

comcast welcome home

24 hour fitness welcome home

nike town seattle signing

white house visit for the usoc

p&g “thank you mom” visit

my life has been pretty crazy lately. i moved from salt lake city in april to be back home for the summer. after world championships (i placed 4th overall) i took my vacation in europe for 2 weeks. i stayed with atze and niels at their place in heerenveen but didn’t spend much time there. we went to brussels and prague this time.

prague is definitely one of the coolest cities i’ve ever been to. the taxi drive from the airport to the city scared the hell out of me… the city is very old so it’s not very well lit. the taxi driver took us from the airport down these small streets that had no lights and no cars.. i honestly thought it was going to be a hostel situation (if you know what i mean). after that experience, everything was great, although atze did get mobbed one night. we met up with my good friend from high school, kelly who is studying abroad there at the moment. we went to this 5 story club in the middle of the city that played a different kind of music on every level. the food was great, the drinks were even better and we had all around awesome time. i really needed this vacation after a stressful season.

i went to the white house with the olympic team a month ago to meet the President/Vice President and their wives. i got to shake Obama’s hand! He is a really skinny dude! He seemed very down to earth and took the time to meet each individual athlete (i got to hug michelle as well!). that experience was really cool and it was fun getting to see the whole olympic team as well as the short track team back together again.

my mom and i went to cincinnati/new york on behalf of P&G and their “thank you mom” campaign. they flew us out to cincinnati to their headquarters and had us do a couple events with their staff. we (the athletes) got to speak about how important of roles our mom’s had in each of our lives. then they flew us on one of their private jets to new york! i got to sit facing backwards and it was such a crazy feeling.. i’m glad i didn’t chuck stones on the plane haha. in new york my mom and i got to meet the ceo of the new york stock exchange and we all got a chance to stand on the balcony to ring the closing bell of the stock market.

as many of you know, i have mentioned several times that i am trying to put together a benefit concert this summer in seattle. my love for music made me want to do this. i feel like music can be a big part of how children visualize the world. it can teach kids about troubles/good times others have been in so they can learn either what to expect or how to handle situations. i would love to teach kids about the benefits of good music and how it can stimulate their minds. for me personally, music has been one of the things that gets me through the day. it’s so interesting hearing what others have to say through music, their perspectives on life. after the olympics i got a chance to meet a lot of very talented musicians, some of which i wanted to play in the concert. as some of you know, putting big events together can be very demanding of a lot of people. since i wanted to have the concert 3 months out from the day i initially started working on it, this would mean finding a big band to headline the concert. since most bands are booked 6 months to a year in advance, i have had no luck in finding one. i am still working on this along with comcast in hopes to put something together on a smaller scale. if anyone has ANY recommendations, i’d love some advice!

i recently got an internship in Seattle with King County Council-member Pete Von Reichbauer. Pete came to my family and I one day and wanted to recognize us for the accomplishments at the Olympics. (he represents south king county – federal way/auburn/kent). we became very good friends after this and he expressed his willingness to help me with my career moving forward. he is a very sincere man, and i look forward to learning about government under his position. i will be working all week, while still trying to maintain some kind of physical shape ;]

as for my future plans, i will move to berkeley, ca in august of this year and start my freshman year this fall. i am very excited, yet nervous to see what happens when i (start) using my brain again for educational purposes =)

that’s it for now!

-to all of my fans, thank you for your continuous support. i feel very honored to have so many people that care about my well being. you guys are awesome.

as the man steve jobs says,

“stay hungry, stay foolish”

I know it’s been a while since I’ve updated my journal so here it goes:

Since the Olympics ended I’ve been really busy with traveling and preparing for World Championships which are held in Bulgaria next week (Mar. 19-21). The Olympics DRAINED ME! Both mentally and physically. The Games are very demanding not only with time, but they also require a lot of dedication, and focus.

Overall I had a great experience in Vancouver. I didn’t have a lot of downtime, but I always reminded myself that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I made sure to take advantage of all that the Olympics had to offer. Short Track athletes competed throughout the whole Olympics, so that meant after every race, we had to forget about what happened and look forward to the next race. I was very fortunate to have family and friends come up and support me up there. I had at least 50 people roll through Vancouver. Some came to watch me race, and some came just to be there with me. All of my immediate family was present, as well as many relatives that have been there with me since the start. I couldn’t thank you all enough for sticking by my side through thick and thin. I had a couple friends from Washington come up, and also a couple friends from California fly all the way up there (take time out of work and school) just to see me! I am very blessed to have such a great group of people that surround me. They make my life worth living.

My mom was so awesome up in Vancouver. She made very good friends with the people at the P&G house which was a house that allowed parents of Olympians a place to hang out and eat. Most of you probably saw her in that P&G commercial that was dedicated to the moms. I was so happy when I saw her in that video. My mom has been so supportive of me, and I was happy that she got that opportunity. To me, that’s what the Olympics are all about.

I said this to one of my good friends from the Dutch team (Netherlands) Niels:

“Look at this place (talking about the crowd in the pac. coliseum). You know what this is? It’s our families and friends from around the world gathered in one place to watch us do what we love to do.” Once I said that, I had the biggest smile on my face, because I knew what I was there for. To do what I love to do.

My father said a quote to me about a year ago before all the mayhem started, and I keep it very close to my heart. It goes “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give” – Winston Churchill.

Now that I have somewhat of a platform from skating, I will be very dedicated to giving all of my love back to the people that gave their love to me. I am planning a couple things this summer while I am back in Seattle. As most of you know, I LOVE music, so don’t be surprised if something happens this summer having to do with music. ;]

I have talked to a bunch of people about what they thought about seeing me on TV. A lot of people come up to me now and say, “JR! You’re a celebrity! How does it feel?!”

Honestly, you are only a celebrity in your own head, if you want to be. Being a “celebrity” or being “famous” means to me that you have a platform or status to affect many people (maybe even the world). The coolest thing that happened to me at the Olympics was that I was able to inspire people, and show them that giving up on their goals and dreams is not an option. I am so grateful to be able share my story with people around the world. I have received many fan emails that say something to the effect of “You have inspired me to keep going in school, at my sport, or even in life”

My goal in life is to make the world realize that life is what you make it. No matter  what family you’re born into, where you are, or what you’re currently doing, you need to know that what you say or do will have some sort of effect on the people that surround you.

I have been inspired, and now it’s my turn to inspire others for the better. Who’s with me?!

After the Olympics I have made contact with many people (mostly musicians) that have inspired me in the past. It is so cool that I am able to get in contact with them, and get to know who they are. I know them through music, but now I have the opportunity to know them on a personal level. I am so happy about that.

I will be moving from Salt Lake City back to Federal Way in April for the summer. I look forward to getting a chance to be with family and friends again.

I will keep you all updated on my events, including what is planned for this summer.

Thank you, and I love you all!

jr

p.s

I have been in contact with a guy named Jeremy Manongdo (aka Passion from youtube). he has recently started a project called “The Empty Suitcase Project” which helps kids from Tanzania receive school materials. If you could help out in any way, it would be awesome. Please check this link: http://bit.ly/aOhwrl to see the video, and also to receive directions on how to help.

thank you

thank you.

It’s been a wild ride, hasn’t it?! With 10 more days to go in the games, I remain confident in myself and my abilities yet remain so fortunate to have the support of my family and friends who have always been there for me. I am humbled with your presence.

Thank you to all my fans who have been following me during my career and at this olympic games. It means a lot to me to know that I have an impact on you. I really hope that you take my story into consideration next time you are feeling down about yourself. It wasn’t too long ago that I was on emotional lows and felt like giving up.

I hope that you will continue to follow your dreams, as I continue to follow mine. Strive to be what you want. This life is too short.

Thank you again.

jr

Two days to go until the 2010 Olympic Winter Games start. This is the moment that I have been waiting for. I am feeling strong and I hope to shock the world in the next few weeks.

Your support has been tremendous. It is what gets me through thick and thin. I smile because I know I have awesome family, friends and fans.

Please make sure to check out the schedule I posted so you don’t miss seeing me and the rest of the team race.

I hope you all have fun watching the Olympics!

Make sure to grab my cup from McDonald’s while they are still out!

-jr

Medal Event 19:18 – Short Track – Men’s 1500 m Finals

Medal Event 19:07 – Short Track – Ladies’ 500 m Finals

Medal Event 19:51 – Short Track – Ladies’ 1500 m Finals

Medal Event 20:05 – Short Track – Men’s 1000 m Finals

Medal Event 18:26 – Short Track – Ladies’ 3000 m Relay Finals

Medal Event 19:16 – Short Track – Men’s 500 m Finals Medal Event 19:26 – Short Track – Ladies’ 1000 m Finals

Medal Event 19:52 – Short Track – Men’s 5000 m Relay Finals

As the clocks turned last night to the new year, I thought about all of the ups and downs I have had this year. The beginning of the year was great as I made giant leaps in skating. I did a lot of traveling and saw several places that I have never been to before. Had a nice vacation over in Europe and got back on the grind to pursue my goal of the 2010 Olympics.

I think its safe for me to say that 2009 was the most exciting year I’ve ever had. So many things to be proud about, and also so many things to forget.

I really look forward to this year, and can’t wait to see what 2010 has to offer me.

I’ve been training really hard and overcoming the injury that I faced 4 months ago. It seems like the injury was so long ago now that I can basically skate the way I used to. I hope to turn some heads and prove to myself that I can do this.

I got a chance to meet a lot of new people this year. People from all over the world in different jobs and sports. I got a chance to meet some CEO’s of huge companies including 24 hour fitness and Aflac. Talk about amazing people. I now see the caliber of person you have to be to run a big company like that, and I strive to be like that myself. I got a chance to see myself on a couple billboards and commercials (Comcast) and also work with a very famous director for a McDonalds commercial (Joe Pytka – directed Space Jam and Michael Jordan/Larry Bird Commercials). I made sure I picked all of their brains and pulled out of their brains as much information as I could. I got lots of great advice I will take with me in the future.

I got to work with some of the greatest Olympians of all time. Eric Heiden and Dan Jansen just to name a few. Got a chance to meet the frontrunners for the USA in different sports, and look forward to sharing the Olympic experience with them in a month.

Through all of these experiences, I never forget why I am here and all of the people that surround me. I am so thankful to have my family and friends in my life, and would be nowhere without them. I came very close to death this year with my cut, and have found a new appreciation for life. I saw how fast it could have been taken away from me, and know now that I am on this earth for a purpose, and that is to affect people in a very positive way.

Thank you to all of you who have been part of my life. You know who you are. I continue to thank God everyday for having you surround me with love.

My new years resolution this year is to stop procrastinating, and start getting things done right when they need to get done. I figure that’s a good thing to work on.

Let’s have an awesome year this year everyone and make 2010 a year to remember!

Happy New Year!

jr

The games are coming very soon and I’m really looking forward to sharing the experience with the rest of the world.

I am now back training with the team full time and getting prepared for what is to come in February.

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays!

jr

These past few weeks have been upbeat and unforgiving…

I finally skated on Monday of this week. It felt like I hadn’t skated in about a year, but it was awesome to be back on the ice. Therapy has been awesome. I’m rippin’ through sets and putting in a lot of work so I won’t be that out of shape when I get back to Salt Lake.

I got a chance to go to New York City at the beginning of the month for the USOC even and be a model. Felt very out of place! But it was awesome being there and getting a chance to meet with the sponsors and athletes that will be representing the USA in a couple months. Also got to meet my agent Brandon’s girlfriend Karen. He showed me around the city. I haven’t been to New York City since ’99 when I was in the Sunny Delight competition with Summer Sanders. I chilled at Brandon’s place the last night and he beat me at Tiger Woods ’10 on the ps3. I can’t wait to beat him on the the actual course! hahahaha =]

After New York, I went straight to Montreal to watch the team at the World Cups! We did AWESOME. Travis got his first world cup medal. I was so pumped when it happened, because I know he’s been working so hard, and it finally payed off (and it happened in Canada!). Big Ups!!! Jeff and Apolo also rocked it in the 500 with Apolo taking 2nd and Jeff 3rd. Great job boys. The girls also came in runnin’ and took a silver medal in the relay! That’s what I wanna see! Let’s keep that momentum going. Had a chance to catch up with the team, and had a couple great conversations. It was awesome to see them all again, it’s been a whiiiiiiile. Also had a chance to hang out with a couple Canadian friends that I skated with at Juniors, and also with Tony Chung (you’re the man)!

After Montreal I came back to Colorado Springs and got back on the grind. I have made huge leaps since I started here, and can’t wait to take the progress back on the ice. Big Thanks to the USOC sports med. staff! Dr. Moreau, Jenna, Chris, Joe and Kerry run an excellent clinic! They are the reason I am able to come back from this injury, along with all the support from family and friends.

Sarah Newman came out to Colorado Springs to visit me! I was so happy getting a chance to hang out with her for a couple days, and to meet her good friend Jane. We chilled, and she watched a couple therapy sessions. She’s an awesome lady and I really appreciate the things she does.

I watched the Pacquiao vs. Cotto fight last Saturday with my sister at her house. He killed it. I was so happy watching that fight, because people don’t believe how good he is. Believe it, and watch him destroy Mayweather Jr. when the time comes.

Amber Payne and Ron Mott from NBC came out to shoot my first day on the ice (monday).

Got a chance to meet the people from The Biggest Loser last weekend as well. Can’t wait til everyone gets to see how down to earth they are. Really cool people.

I’ll be back in Salt Lake next week and training with the team again.

Until next time,

jr

-Rode the bike hard

-Did dryland (up downs and dryskate)

-Used the swimex

These are humongous leaps that let me know I am on the right track. I am excited to get back on the ice in a couple weeks, but before I do that, I have to run and get stable on the injured leg.

I had a really good week with my family. My parents came down on Wednesday and got to see a couple days of rehab. It’s always nice to be able to hang out, and spend the much needed time with them. I know it’s hard for them to watch me grow up hundreds of miles away, but we remain very close and I am so happy for that. My cousin Michaela flew down on Friday to spend Halloween with us. It turned out to be an awesome day, but we only had 3 groups knock on our door! Colorado Springs needs to step their holiday spirit up! Jordan also came this weekend on Saturday. Finally I have a teammate to hang out with(!) although I’d rather he not be here. He will be back soon though and I am happy about that.

Today Michaela, Brit, Jordan and I went up to Denver to spend the day there. It was gorgeous out. We visited the Cherry Creek mall, 16th street in downtown Denver, and ate at the Sushi Den again. We had a lot of fun, and  got a chance to get out and laugh for a while.

I leave tomorrow for Denver again, and take off Tuesday morning for New York for the USOC event. Make sure to watch me on the Today Show on Wednesday! That should be pretty fun. During my stay in New York I hope to get a chance to roam the city, and eat some famous New York food. Brandon will show me around the city, while we both boo the Yankee supporters =]

On Thursday morning I travel to Quebec, and stay the weekend to watch the World Cup (Olympic Qualifiers). I am really excited to see my team kill it out there!

A big thank you goes to Niel Mansilla for getting this website domain for me. He made it so I didn’t have to use a domain like www.jrcelski13.com Thank you so much for doing that.

My Dad just recently had his birthday (he turned 28 ;]) Happy birthday Dad! My Godfather Daryl also had his birthday recently. Daryl got a chance to visit me twice while he was out here. We had a good time taking some pictures, and getting some good food in. Thanks again for making that drive and spending some quality time with me! My auntie Virginia also had her birthday! Happy Birthday Auntie Vir!

I will update next week with some pictures from the NY trip and World Cup Comp.

Buenas!

jr