A Show Tune A Day Keeps the Doctor Away...

I love Show Tunes. I just love them. I love the theatre, and I love Broadway shows. I'm always the first person to rush the little store and buy the soundtrack and listen to it until I'm blue in the face from singing the amazing ballads and group dance numbers. 

Okay friends, I know it can be tempting to buy the soundtrack, listen to it once or twice, and never really pull it out again. But let me let you in on a little secret blog buddies... a show tune a day does wonders for your soul. There is something amazing that a score from your favorite show or even movie can do for your mood and your day. Whether it's rocking out to a big group dance number from Hairspray, marching into battle with the cast of Les Mis, going through the seasons of love with the cast of Rent, graduating high school with Danny, Sandy and the cast of Grease, or Defying Gravity with Elphaba in Wicked (don't even get me started.) Listening to a favorite show tune can indeed pull you out of a funk, or make your already good mood that much better. 

So friends, take a minute today to dust off that old album, pop it into your CD player,  sing your heart out, and bring out your inner Elphaba. Or do what I do and keep them all in your car so that when the need arises, and you're sitting in traffic contemplating life and wondering where it all went wrong... you can pop in your CD, turn the track to your favorite song and suddenly you're not in traffic on the 5... You're a Broadway star on an amazing set, with a giant orchestra behind you and a packed out house! :) 

Missed Connections and Banana Squash...

So I usually keep my blog free of rantings, however my day yesterday was just too classic to not vent and share with you blog buddies! Yesterday, October 7th, I was supposed to leave for Nashville, TN for an internship interview at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. My flight was supposed to leave at 11:55 so I got to the airport at about 10:15 to give me enough time to check in and get settled before the flight (plus it's always fun to sit with your coffee and people watch - airports are the best!) When I check in, they weigh my bag and it was 54 lbs... 4 lbs. over the legal limit for domestic flights. The nice, older man at the counter (who I think was joking around when he took me by the hand, looked at the absence of a wedding ring and said, "okay hun, now that I don't see a ring on that finger, I think there's something I can do for you.") But hey, I only had to take out a book and he let the rest go, so God bless him!! ;) 

So we're on the plane, getting ready to take off and all of a sudden the captain comes on the PA - never a good sign. He said that the right engine was not starting and that we needed to go back to the gate for the mechanic to take a look at it. An hour later, we take off and I'm trying not to worry about the connection that I have to make in Atlanta which is only an hour layover. We finally arrive in Atlanta at 7:50 p.m. and my flight leaves at 8:06 p.m. for Nashville. Not only that, but it was in a different terminal! By the time I got off the plane (I was in the back of course) it was 7:59. I ran like hell through the airport and got to the gate at 8:03 p.m. only to discover that the doors were closed and my plane that was scheduled to depart at 8:06 had already left. Not only that, there was no representative at the gate!!! So he finally shows up and directs me to the Customer Service Center to see if I can get on another flight. 

So defeated and out of breath, I make my way to the Customer Service Center in the next terminal. After explaining what happened (which they were clearly not interested in my story, but I sure as heck told them anyway) they rescheduled me on the next flight out which was at 9:50 p.m. The name of the center is ironic because there was absolutely nothing customer oriented about this experience, no apology... nothing. BUT, now comes the GOOD NEWS!! I did get a $7 voucher for dinner to use in the food court. I thought to myself... you have got to be kidding me. 

So I make my way over to the food court and decide to get myself some "dinner" - after all it really is about the silver lining. Thank you Delta. So I stand in line at Sbarro and decide to get the #1 combo which comes with a slice of pizza, a side of veggies, and a diet coke for $6.89. So I get up to the counter, give them my voucher, pick up my tray and start to leave with my bags only to discover that my meal came to $7.37. I actually OWED them 37 cents! Of course I didn't have change on me so I had to break a dollar. So I walked over to a table with my bags and my tray and my pocket full of change, and my side of veggies that was primarily composed of cooked carrots and banana squash - (neither of which I eat on a regular basis) and began to pick at my pizza and my side of veggies with a plastic "spork."

So I get to my gate (early I might add) and thankfully right next to my gate is a starbucks. It was like God was sending me a hug from heaven. I make my way over there because I think to myself that the only thing that was going to redeem this day was a venti pumpkin spice latte to take on the plane. I get in line only to learn that they are closing and all they are selling is coffee and tea. So with my dreams of pumpkin spice dashed, I settled for coffee, got on the plane and after another 30 min. weather delay on the runway, I finally got to Nashville!! Hooray for good friends and big hugs to make my day!!! 

So blog buddies... if you ever find yourself walking aimlessly around the Atlanta airport due to a missed connection, eating cold pizza and veggies with a spork, and you have been mistreated by a trusted airline, please know that you are not alone and you have a friend in me. 

Camp Reach for the Stars

I just got back from such a great, memorable weekend in the beautiful mountains of Santa Barbara! I volunteered as a camp counselor at Camp Reach for the Stars which is a camp that is put on by the American Cancer Society every year for children with cancer and their families. It was such a neat experience, and something new which I always love. It's a great weekend away camping in the mountains for families and kids to not have to think about cancer or treatment and just have fun. 

For those of you who know me, this was definitely out of my comfort zone because I'm not typically a "camper" :), but this was one of the most fun, rewarding experiences. I mean, I hiked...in the rain!! I "braved the elements." This was a great experience, not only with the families, but with the other counselors as well...it's always fun to make new friends and meet new people from all walks of life.

Each camp counselor is assigned to a family for the weekend, and the family that I had was incredible. I took tons of pictures, but for legal reasons due the nature of the camp I can't post the pictures of the kids, but I sure can tell you about them! :) I had the privilege of hanging out with an 8 year old boy battling leukemia and his large, but incredibly precious family with 6 kids under the age of 9!!! I definitely had the largest family there by far, and there was never a dull moment that's for sure. I spent the weekend giving piggy back rides, pushing the tire swing, playing games, running, skipping, hiking, treckin' through mud and giggling. 

As counselors, we also hung out with the kids while the parents participated in much needed facials, massages, and support groups with one another. Some of the families have been coming to this camp for years and have built great relationships. In addition to all of the activities, the camp began on Friday with the opening ceremonies where the families bring ashes of the camp fire from last year to kick off this year's camp with the hopes and dreams from the previous years of staff and campers. Throughout the weekend, the families have "wishing scrolls" where they write down their hopes, wishes and dreams and then they share them with everyone if they want to and then throw them into the fire on the last night to close. A lot of the parents wished for good health, and a cure for cancer. Some of the kids got up to share at the closing campfire and it brought tears to my eyes when one of my kids got up there and said, "I wish for no more cancer." 

Not only was this weekend a new, fun experience but it was so neat to get a glimpse into the lives of these families who are battling this disease. Cancer, or any other terminal disease for that matter, really does affect the whole family, and it truly is amazing to learn about how these families cope with it. So although every muscle in my body aches, and I'm beyond exhausted, it was a fun weekend had by all!