Day 28

Last year, I started working on a shoe line called Don Pedro and moved from California to New York City to study shoe design for a semester at the Fashion Institute of Technology University. Part of the requirements for the shoe design program was to take Human Anatomy, which in the beginning annoyed me and in the end, ended up being my favorite class. In the class we learned the importance of how shoes protect our feet, different foot diseases, how our feet work, and everything else you can imagine. Like did you know, that in a life time you walk anywhere from 150,000-250,000 miles, which is 6-8 times around the globe! Wearing proper shoes can allure your well being in so many ways. When I heard about what TOMS SHOES were doing I was very pleased. For those of you who dont know, for every pair of shoes that someone buys from TOMS SHOES, he donates a pair to a child in need. As I was designing my line before TOMS SHOES became popular, I was thinking of doing the very same. So when I heard that Sport Chalet was collecting "gently wore shoes" for their Soles4Souls campaign I knew I had to donate shoes! So today after work I drove pretty far out of my way to donate my fairly new pair of black uggs. At first I walked into the store feeling a little embarrassed holding a pair of shoes in my hand haha. Yet after I asked the lady in the front if they were still collecting shoes and she said sure and pointed to an insane amount of shoes piled up like a hill, I started laughing at myself.
Tomorrow is the last day! Don't be lazy, go through your closet and see what shoes are small on you and what shoes you never wear and go donate it to families that are in need in Haiti. Remember, these people lost their world, so any kind of help really counts.



"If a man does only what is required of him, he is a slave. if a man does more than is required of him, he is a free man."

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."