Day 29

I am extremely disappointed with the Ronald McDonald House. On Wednesday I got a phone call from Jennifer asking me why I didn't come. I told her I wasn't feeling good and that I forgot but it was more about the fact that I was offended with the whole decoration situation. She told me that they made a few more adjustments and not to forgot to come on Friday because they are low on staff. So I promised her that I would be there. On Friday morning I woke up extra early and drove out there, which is not close to my house at all, its about 20 miles away from where I live. I get there and the staff member that tells us what we will be doing, told me she has too many volunteers, that I wasn't on the schedule and that she doesn't really have anything for me to do. She before I left I went into the other house and then saw that more of the decoration were taken off and in the beginning we were told that we cant have tape on the walls but it turns out that we cant have tape on glass either and in result of that everything looked very different. So I took what was taken off and left, I'm thinking of donating it to my little sister's kindergarten Teacher of last year. I don't want to volunteer there anymore, I don't feel like they appreciate much. I will though, write Jen a message about what had happened, maybe I "misunderstand" something...but as far as I see things I'm really upset and most likely not going back.
“If you have much, give of your wealth; If you have little, give of your heart”

Day 26

Woke up this morning at around 830am, which is extremely early for me but I was just SO EXCITED! I kinda hung around the house until Party City opened up and got the balloons. I got to the house and was instructed to decorate the 2nd house. There are 2 houses, one is the main one but has only 30 rooms and than the other one which I personally like better, has 45 rooms, thats the house I was told to start with. While decorating I got a chance to play with 2 kids and talked to a family who has been staying at the house for a few months waiting for their baby to have surgery. I wish I can share some of the stories but I'm not sure I'm allowed to or think it's appropriate.
I did managed to burn myself pretty bad while brewing coffee for the house, it literally split all over my left hand.
After 2 and a half hours of decorating, I got a phone call from one of the staff members that I'm not allowed to use TAPE or have anything on the walls.
.....yaaaaa....that kinda makes it hard to hang things up on the walls or anywhere really. I was kinda upset and offended that I wasn't told this from the beginning and only after I put so much work into it. So after getting over myself, I tried to figure out how to make it work and I some how managed to do so, although I don't think it looks half as good as it did before. =/



After being there for almost 6 hours I left and went to The Landmark Forum Graduation. I've been wanting to take this Seminar for years now and always pushing it off so tonight I signed up for it. I really hope it will help me on this project and in other fields in my life. I'm all about the self-improvement section in the book stores ;) . I believe that you must be the change you wish to see in the world.
So I'm really excited about FINALLLLLY doing it! I'm gonna take it the last week of Feb! How Fab! lol I'm gonna do it the last weekend of the month because if I do go on the volunteering program I'd like to do it before.

"In my head there’s a greyhound station, where I send my thoughts to far off destinations, so they may have a chance of finding a place, where they’re far more suited than here."

Day 25

I worked at S.C. today and after I got off of work, I went to a bunch of stores to find Valentine's Day decorations for the The Ronald McDonald House.
I feel like there isn't enough colors at the house, like it's a bit dull. I wanted to add more colors, more love in the house and smiles. LOVE is Universal and after all this organization is for children and families. Plus I actually got my heart broken today, so there is nothing better else to do then to share that love with people that appreciate it.
I spoke to Coordinator Managers of the house, to see if it was ok for me to do it and they loved the idea!
I'm pretty extreme and I don't have limits, everything I see, I want to buy! Especially when it comes to anything that involves fun and art. I've always been such a festive person, I love going ALL out, I believe it makes life THAT much sweeter. So I bought many different decorations and I also placed an order at Party City for 10 heart balloons, which I was gonna pick up in the morning before going over there. I was sooo excited! I ended up spending a little over $50.

"Forget who hurt you yesterday, but don't forget who loves you tenderly today."

Day 20

It's been raining pretty hard these last few days, none stop, for some odd reason it makes me really HAPPY! My friend Gabi today told me it's "G*d blessing us", I asked him what makes him say that and he said "Do you like fruits? Veggies? Trees? Animals? Human? Nature? All of the above NEED water to LIVE" I love that!!! What a great point =)
Last night before I went to bed I wrote Jennifer, who's the person in charge of the volunteer's at the Ronald house, I told her what a great time I had and how I wanted to add another day to my volunteer schedule for next week and told her I had a view ideas of how to brighten up the place. While I was at lunch today with my girlfriends, she gave me a call and I told her that I would like to bring in some balloons and decorate the house with them, also maybe Valentine's Day decoration because after all its a LOVE holiday and love is universe. I gave her a few more ideas and she was so excited about them! YAY! I also shared with my girlfriends my experience at the house which they found really heart fulfilling and I asked them if they were interested in helping me set up a meal for the family sometime next week with an activity and they were happy to help! So when I got home I started writing down ideas of how I can help and add more happiness into this house. I find it soooo incredible important to make a place with children in it, especially very sick children, cozy, warm, colorful, and fun! I want the kids to focus on smiling and laughing rather than there disease.
I actually stayed in tonight and researched ideas for arts and crafts and decoration more ideas.
Today I also checked out an internship with TOMS Shoes. I studied shoes & accessory design last year in NY at FIT University. I would really like do it, maybe I'll sign up for the fall session since I'm strongly considering going on the other volunteer program, which will be over summer.
Tomorrow I'm going in to volunteer at 9am! I cant wait!!!

My friend Catherine from Germany just send me this letter, it made me smile.
Hey girl, yesterday I walked on the campus to go to my university and I crossed two people who had signs around their necks that said: free hugs. So they asked the people if they wanted a hug and everyone just dodged away and I thought that was really sad. So I went up there and let them hug me - I dunno, it made me think of you and your blog ;)

"The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to use the srairs...one step at a time."

Day 13

First of all I wanted to thank everyone who has been reading my blog daily or randomly. I've been getting some really great feedback and I just wanted to thank you all. In just a week I have nearly 400 views! Which makes me SUPER DUPER HAPPY! So thank YOU because it really means the world to me. I really want to make a difference and by you reading it, I really feel like I do.
Now although I wasn't feeling the best today because of yesterday's illness, I still decided to go to the volunteer training at The Ronald McDonald House because I had committed to it last week. They did a lot of renovating since I went there last, everything looked brand new. There were about 10 other volunteers in the training, all there for different reasons.
We were taught the the history of company, rules, basically procedure and the different types of volunteer positions they offer. I wasn't really aware of this, but only 3% of the patient can actually do any kind of activities. Most of the volunteer work is for their families and siblings.
One of the most popular activities is the Family Meal Program. It's for the families who spend all day at the hospital and when they return to the house, they have no energy to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner, so we make it for them. I would love to get a few of my friends to do something like this! I think it would be great!
andddd I found out that, there are only 8 actual staff members that work in the Los Angeles location, the rest are all volunteers. Every year 3 million different people volunteer at one of the RMH, which just goes to show how many good people are out there, for all you none believers in the good out there. Plus I found out that McDonald's only donates 10% to the Ronald McDonald House, the other 90% are all donations, which I found amazing.
I also learned that the "real/proper" way to wash your hands is by saying the ABC's twice, otherwise your just spreading germs all over your hands! How is that for a fun fact!
The training itself was 2 hours. Everyone was extremely nice, we also got snakes and pizza, and had a little quiz at the end with giveaways and I answered the first questions right ;) someone was paying attention.
So now I can start scheduling regular volunteer visits. Which I will probably start next week. I would really like to try and volunteer there twice a week.

For all of you who are unemployment right now, don't sit on your butt all day and do nothing but be on the computer, watch tv, and play video games, go and find something that interest you and volunteer! There are soooo many people that need your help and the furfilling feeling afterwards is priceless.
This non-profit organization is also part of the Give a Day, Get a Disney Day from Disney.

"Love looks through a telescope; envy, through a microscope."