~ Twenty. Ten. ~

"The most refreshing part of a new year, a new week, and a new day is the word... NEW."

I'm spilling the beans...

Well friends, I'm spilling the beans! My lovely Thia Karen tagged me with the Honest Scrap Award Challenge - to come up with ten HONEST things about myself that you may not know. Little scraps of information that I normally wouldn't share in everyday conversation. So here they are...

* Disclaimer: If you have to stop halfway through, take a breather, and come back to it I won't be offended. After all, one can only handle so much crazy in one sitting. *

1) I often watch Maury. Yes, you read that right... Maury Povich. Why is it so enjoyable to watch crazy people on tv? "You ARE the father!" You just can't make this stuff up.

2) I drink way too much Diet Coke for my own good.

3) I can never pick out a greeting card in less than 10 minutes. No matter what the occasion, I like to try and select the perfect card. I LOVE perusing the aisles to find something funny, or heartwarming.

4) I enjoy driving - I actually enjoy time in the car... it's built in alone time, to drink some coffee, listen to some good tunes, or enjoy the solace. I find that whatever is bothering me from a day at work usually resolves by the time I get home because I've had time to clear my head a little bit.

5) I usually change into my pajamas within 20 minutes of being home. My former room mates can attest to this! If I'm in for the night, the pj's are on right away!!!

6) I check people.com religiously, and am way too fascinated with the lives of celebrities.

7) I really don't like the season of summer, and find myself in an all around better mood when it's the second half of the year in fall and winter. I love cool, crisp, and overcast days!

8) As this past week was "Premiere Week" on TV, and all of the networks are starting their new fall seasons, I have found myself very excited, yet sadly overwhelmed. You know, it's exhausting. There's this internal struggle of "to tivo - or not to tivo?" I mean, there are so many shows that look interesting, but do I really want to invest? Can my heart and mind take any more? Plus, there's this stress involved in making sure that Tivo is catching all of the shows, both old and new. I mean, seriously... it takes a village. It's all about priorities... :)

9) I never throw away shoes. I wouldn't consider myself a huge pack rat, but for some reason, shoes are something that I just can't seem to get rid of easily. I have random shoes and flip flops that I never wear... but can't seem to part with. There has to be a name for this? Help Dr. Phil!

10) I still have my blanket from childhood... but that's not the worst part. I still sleep with it. Forget the crazy shoe problem... I need Dr. Phil on speed dial!

It feels good to air out some dirty laundry! Give it a try! :)

Choosing Civility

With all of the recent hullabaloo surrounding the horrifying outbursts of celebrities and the like, it leaves us wondering what's the deal!? The LA Times wrote a fascinating article on this very subject on the cover of today's paper, and it really got me thinking about what we have become. Why is there suddenly this outpouring of rude behavior by the very people that we are supposed to look up to? And is this really sudden at all, or has it been a slippery slope for some time now?

It seems as though almost everyone has been caught up in this viral infection of rudeness. In the wake of athletes losing their cool over a bad call on the court, politicians yelling out during the president's address to the nation, and of course the widely publicized Kanye West and Taylor Swift drama...

Of course these are celebrities, but it did get me thinking... If celebrities, athletes, and politicians are saying things like this to one another, think of the thousands of others who are treating one another this way that aren't being publicized on the evening news.

I'm not ranting about this subject just to rehash the hash --- my whole purpose in commenting about these crazy things is to offer a small ray of hope! In the wake of all of this, I was reminded this week of the goodness of people, and in the celebrities that some of us look up to. This week was the annual KIIS FM event at CHOC and we were so fortunate to have people donate their time to visit the kids and their families, and bring a smile to their faces. I just have to share one of the stories!

I had the complete privilege to tour a certain british soccer player :) around the hospital to see the kids in their rooms, and let me tell you, it was a complete joy. Yes ladies, for obvious reasons, but even more than that I was in complete awe of his humility, grace and class. He was a complete gentleman for starters... he refused to get in the elevator before me, held open every door, and had all the time in the world for the patients and their families. He was completely unaffected by the media surrounding him, and placed every emphasis on the strength of those kids. Seeing the joy on the kid's faces was heartwarming, and hearing him say that he was forever changed by the experience was priceless. His facial expressions said it all! We were fortunate to have so many celebrities and average joes alike share in the day and I was utterly impressed by all of them. I had been looking forward to this day in preparation for a while now, but I was expecting at least a few out of the bunch to be a little "hollywood." I was pleasantly surprised by their humility and sincerity.

This whole day gave me hope. It helped me realize that yes, these are people just like the rest of us, and they are gracious, classy and sincere at the core. Choose civility and hopefully it will start a new viral strain of kindness...

CHOC Children's

Well, friends, I have some news! I am now officially a Child Life Specialist at CHOC Children's Hospital!

This is such a dream job for me, and it feels like it's been forever since I've been training for this, and yesterday all at the same time. Thank you so much for your prayers and support, because this is truly an answer to prayer.

I'll be working in the Emergency Department at night during the week (till midnight to be exact - when the ER is abuzz) and then I'll be working on the hospital units - mostly Oncology and ICU on the weekends. I have two days of formal hospital orientation under my belt, and tomorrow is my first official day of training on the units! I am so very excited, and would very much appreciate your thoughts and prayers! Of course I am nervous to start a new chapter, but confident that this is where I'm supposed to be.

Here's to a brand new chapter, and the beginning to an exciting adventure!

Smile...

Just some thoughts and a few highlights that have made me smile this week!

1.) Rice Krispy Treats:

OK, I know what you're thinking - "Chloe, what are you, 12?" But I had to share my new found love for these delightful treats. I've been making them a lot lately, and thanks to my wonderful Mom's recipe, they are sooo yummy. So what's the secret? Add peanut butter. Just add it to the marshmallow before you add the rice krispy cereal. Oooo, and put a square into the microwave for about 20 seconds right before you eat it, to make it extra warm and gooey! Who knew that something so simple could taste so amazing? Try it and let me know what you think!

2.) SHARK TANK:

One of my new favorite shows! It's on Sunday nights, and it's delightfully entertaining. Five self-made millionaire tycoons invest their own money into people's ideas/companies. These people have 90 seconds to make their pitch to "the sharks" and you should see what these people come up with! Some of them are really great businesses in which the sharks fight over to invest in, and others are just plain entertaining! :)

3.) Legally Blonde - The Musical:

The movie was so great, and the musical is now in LA! Yesterday, my Mom and I made our pilgrimage up to the Pantages theatre in Hollywood to see it, and it was very, very good! Incredibly entertaining, great music, and really witty and genuinely funny while successfully sticking to the story line of the movie. And a special hint for students: you can get them for $25 with a student ID! It was a great deal for a fun night!

4.) Sweepstakes:

I already know that I'm going to catch a lot of flack for this one, but it's actually kind of fun! I've been entering into some fun sweepstakes (everything from big to small prizes like vacations etc.) Who knows if I'll ever win anything, but it sure is fun to try with some spare time!

Etsy

I just love ebay. I love the whole concept, and I love the deals and treasures that one can find on that glorious site!

I just have to share my new (well, new to me!) find... www.etsy.com!

This site is so fun... it works like an ebay, but ALL of the items on this site are either handmade or vintage. It's such a blast to comb people's stores and know that everything you see is one of a kind.

Two of my best buds have created an Etsy Shop called J Emporium with the NEATEST stuff!!! They were just handpicked and featured on the homepage! Here's the link....

www.jemporium.etsy.com

J Emporium has really neat vintage stuff like this one....

Jessi also has her own Etsy Shop... Here's the link...

www.spectacleworks.etsy.com

Spectacle Works has really neat photos, and Jessi makes her own journals like this one!

You've just got to check out this site! It's so fun to poke around!

Start your Etsy journey with the links above! :)

Bon Voyage!

Well, we're off! For the next 8 days, I will be happily laying on the beach on Oahu! We're going to Hawaii and I could not be more thrilled! There are few places that are more beautiful and serene. My parents have included me on this wonderful trip for a fabulous graduation gift - I think I have the best parents in the entire world! :) I'm fully prepared for a week of relaxation: sundresses, sunscreen, snorkeling equipment, and some good books!

See you soon friends... Aloha!