11RANDOMfacts...

1. I hate fish. Those who know me well understand the seriousness of it. The official name of this irrational fear is ichthyophobia. Sometimes I can’t walk all the way to the end of the pier because of fish heads and …ugh, I can’t even continue…

2. I love to travel. I would travel the world if I had the time and the means to do it. I would go anywhere and everywhere. The start of my list goes as follows: Munich, Venice, Paris, London, Salzburg, DC, New York, and Seattle. Many more to come.

3. I am a closet-hippie. I wish I could be one (minus the bra-burning and LSD-doing). But I really do wish for world peace in a non-beauty pageant way. I just wish that everyone could just get along!

4. I found out I had a 39-year-old brother when I was 19. I was, as expected, absolutely shocked when I found out - but he and his family have become a part of ours and I couldn't be happier with having them in my life. My newly-found brother and his wife are currently my bosses at one of my serving jobs. Weird how things happen…

5. I was a figure skater for 8 years; we are a rare breed in Southern California. Nancy Karrigan was my first hero; this was after the famous knee injury that, immediately after said accident, she went on to win the silver medal at the Olympics. I loved the competitions, the dresses, the rhinestones (especially), my coach Monica who was more like a big sister, the fun music and the friends I made. I looked forward to new programs because that meant a trip to LA where my parents and I would spend hours looking at rhinestones and fabric.

6. I daydream a lot, and I mean, A LOT. I am always thinking about my perfect dream job (which is still yet to be defined or created), my future Mr. Perfect, my children's names (which, by the way, my girl will be named Charlotte and my boy will be Topher (tap tap those names:)). I daydream about my future house (that is already designed to perfection, complete with a very large library), about my plans for the night...everything. In my daydreams, everything in the world is perfect and plays out like a movie in my head.

7. My favorite color is purple. It always has been and always will be. I tried the whole pink thing for a while but it didn't work out.

8. I am, in a very distant way, related to Grover Cleveland, the 22nd AND 24th president of the United States. He is my great-grandmother's cousin...or something like that. But, pretty cool, eh?

9. I worked for the Angels during the summer of 2006. I can honestly say it was the best job I have ever had, and probably ever will have. I got to shoot t-shirts on the field, rhinestone 20 jerseys with my mom, be on multiple radio shows and the Best Damn Sports Show Period, shoot t-shirts as the "opening act" for KIIS FM's Wango Tango, help little kids run the bases at the stadium, all while making great friends…and I swear to this day that Derek Jeter tipped his hat at me at the World Baseball Classic...sighhh...

10. I love quoting random and dumb/funny movies or television shows. I looked forward to a trip to Vegas last weekend for it's relevancy of quoting The Hangover. Most situations in life will remind me of a Seinfeld or Sex and the City episode; a lot of my friends just look at me since they usually don't know what I am saying. On the very rare occasion where I find a boy who randomly throws out a quote in a conversation and I understand it...I make sure to hold onto him :)

11. I love LOVE and LIFE. I try not to regret a single thing about either of those. Everything that happens to us is a learning experience, not something to dwell on. I fall in love easily; I wear my heart on my sleeve. I love the little things in life like driving down PCH with my windows down and my music turned up. I also love the rain, I love cupcakes, flowers, Christmas, black and white pictures, my friends, butterflies, laughing, new jeans, taking pictures, writing, chapstick, shopping, a new book, coffee, my awesome Book Club, and GLEE . The list could go on and on and on....

The Cost of Happiness

I was 5 of 8 steps into a job interview this week (a friend appropriately asked me, "are you applying to be one of Obama's bodyguards?!" It was all a little much for the position), and I decided that I needed to turn it down. I am 23, living at home, serving at two different restaurants and actively searching for a real 'grown-up' job. I was approached by a recruiter about this position that was in outside sales. The word sales has always scared me. Who doesn't picture the cheesy, pushy and poorly dressed used car salesman? I do not want to be one of those. I had an interview, a ride-along, another interview, phone interview with the VP of Sales, wrote a 90-day business plan and was on track to go on another ride-along, go over my 90-day business plan and then IF, and only if I was lucky enough, be able to partake in interview "number 4."

I immediately had one of those internal freak-outs. A quarter-life crisis. I have always wanted one of those jobs that made me happy, where I enjoy going into work everyday and like the people I share my workday with. When I told this to the recruiter, he came back with, "They call it work for a reason, not play." This only turned me off further from the position (that, and the time limit they gave me to decide on this huge commitment).

When did we decide that work was supposed to be so miserable? Why does it feel like so few people are lucky enough to truly enjoy their jobs? My mom is an administrative assistant but she enjoys going to work everyday. My grandmother had to be forced into retirement because she did not want to stop working. My sister works for MAC makeup and absolutely loves what she does. She finally doesn't care about what other people think of her and what she does for a living; she gets pure joy out of doing makeup all day and working along side friends. She told me once that by working for MAC, she is proving to her daughter that she can do whatever she wants in life, as long as it makes HER happy and no one else.

I sat with all this information yesterday, talking endlessly on the phone with friends and getting their input for good measure. I talked with A Boy who gave me the best advice of all. When I asked him if he thought I would be an idiot for turning it down he said no, that he would respect me more for doing so. He said he knew before I even told him that I was the kind of person to do things that make me happy. If it isn't enjoyable, why waste our precious life doing it? Or dating it? Or eating it? Another friend sent me a text that was so simple and to the point. It read, "Don't do it. If you already know you'll be miserable, it'll probably be even worse. Find something you enjoy, even if it takes longer" Brilliant. Just what I needed to hear.

When it came down to it, I knew I had to follow my heart. And that is exactly what I did. I kindly turned down the offer. While I still question whether I made the right choice, my mom told me today that she is so proud of me for making the decision that I did....and I am as well.