Happy Tuesday morning, everyone!
Please forgive me for my lengthy interim period of blogging (or a lack there of). I have been very busy but don't you worry- I have got some material for you. Special thank you to Andrea, who reminds me every day how long it has been since I last blogged and guilt tripped me into writing this very entry even after I ran inclined intervals and did yoga.
If you know me at all, you know that when I make a mistake or when I am blatantly wrong, I always say so. Now, if I didn't tell anyone about this, they would never know. However, I think this story is important to share. Two weeks ago I got ready and headed out to the bars with my girlfriends and did not return to my house until the next morning. When I got home and walked into my bedroom, there was a strange smell in my room that much resembled that of a toaster oven.
I walked across the room to find that not only had I left my straightener plugged in, but I had also left it on the floor directly on my carpet. I am telling this story because I want everyone to know that I'm an idiot but more importantly, I am telling this story because I want everyone to know that my carpet is perfectly fine. No holes, no burn marks... nothing. Additionally, I have knocked over nail polish remover on the carpet and no, it did not burn a whole through it. The moral of this story is that my mother (and probably yours, too) lied to me through the duration of my childhood.
Moving right along...
This blog topic has been inspired by conversations that I've recently had with my girlfriends regarding their relationships. Now, allow me to quickly emphasize that the following statements that came out of their stupid mouths are the exact reason that I consistently continue to only consider the gym as my boyfriend. The gym doesn't say dumb or hurtful things, just saying. I repeat, the following statements are things that my friend's boyfriends ACTUALLY said to them.
"You're smaller than me, so I should be eating more than you. Don't eat my food."
You would actually have to be an idiot to say something like this to anyone, especially a girl. I am 5'9 but I probably have a stomach the size of an acorn. I am sure that I am "bigger" than some men and I am absolutely certain that they eat more than I do. Your logic, sir, is flawed. Additionally, all men should go ahead and never say anything about a woman's caloric intake. Oh, why? Because girls are crazy. If you make one comment about what we are eating, we will never forget it. Once when I was 13, my mother told me to "suck in my stomach" when we were posing to eighth grade formal pictures. I only ate lettuce for a week. If you watch a girl eat 100 twinkies and you don't like it then walk away and keep your stupid opinions to yourself.
"Yeah, you should be cooking and cleaning all day."
Ohhhh is that what you think? See that's funny. God bless the woman that has to deal with this man or any man that says something like this to her. Pretty sure that if anyone said something like that to me I would do a quick cooking AND cleaning combo by putting bleach into their dinner. Also, if your boyfriend/husband sits on the couch all day and then dictates orders to you and you still stay with him then YOU need to reevaluate your relationship and your life.
"You wouldn't understand."
HAHAHAHAHA. Oh, we wouldn't understand? Here's an idea, why don't you explain it and let our brains decide whether or not we can comprehend the words that you're saying? Instead of avoiding actual human interaction, why don't you set down your video game controller and work on your social skills. This week, I had a man explain something to me that I would not have otherwise understood without an explanation. So, I know that you guys are capable of doing it. Don't take the easy way out. You guys don't understand what it's like trying to carry on a conversation with someone that constantly doubts our ability to comprehend facts and figures. You guys also don't understand what it's like to have your period, and don't even get me started on that.
"I'll pay, I make more money than you."
Um, ouch? You know the kind of girls that like to hear that? The ones that wouldn't offer to pay for anything in the first place. Most times, we have a firm understanding of how much money you make and we certainly are aware of how much we clear after taxes. Girls offer to pay things because they are nice, not because they think that they are rich. If a girl wants to pay for something, just let her. If you fall for a girl that likes it when you say something like that, then I sincerely hope that you enjoy your miserable marriage.
Additionally, if you would not say something to a woman's face, then don't you dare text it to her. Here is what is funny about texting; it really makes people a lot more brave than they actually are in real life. Don't pick a fight with me through a text and then act like we are BFFs when I see you in person. If I say something in a text message, I mean it in the real world too. I won't forget what I said to you and if you were sassy to me via text I will be sure to repay the favor on the very next occasion that I see you. Don't talk a big game through text messages and then be timid in person. No one has time for that, literally.
I hope that everyone has a fantastic week of work and gets a chance to enjoy the warmer weather this week. I'll be distance training on Wednesday at the park if anyone would like to join.
Here's to using our brains before we produce words,
I love everyone.
Xoxo
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
A Little Lesson on Self Respect
Happy unseasonably warm Monday morning to all of you!
Last week was enchanting. Work went just wonderfully and I finally feel as though I am getting into the groove of my new place of work. My crew made many accomplishments over the last couple of weeks and for that I am grateful. I couldn't be more proud of everyone at 176 that has been and will continue to be apart of the 176 transformation. You guys are awesome.
On Thursday of last week, the management teams from the Pittsburgh districts got together for a company outing. About 20 of us went bowling and Jesse had his record bowling score of 40. Yep, 40. Maranol nearly bowled a ball into the next lane AND popped a bottle of champagne in the bowling alley that was otherwise filled with adult men in a bowling league. If we played "what didn't belong," it would have been us. But, we had a blast. I am thankful to have a job that has surrounded me with such great people over the last two years.
On Saturday evening, some of these same friends and I went out in the city and danced the night away in a club with a tremendous amount of falling confetti and old rap songs. At any rate, an incident that took place on Saturday is what inspired me to write this very blog. As we were walking along East Carson Street around 12:30a.m., a heavily intoxicated man stopped me.
Stranger: Excuse me.
Me: Yes? (thinking that one of my friends had dropped something on the sidewalk)
Stranger: Do you want to have sex with me?
Me: Oh? No thank you.
Stranger: I make tall babies.
Me: I'm sure I would also. No thank you, though.
Stranger: We could make basketball players.
TJ: Hey man, stop talking to her.
Stranger: Okay dude. Fuck off.
But after this happened I couldn't help but think, has this idiot used this same pick up line on other occasions and has it ever worked on an unsuspecting and heavily intoxicated female on the south side? Here are the conclusions that I have arrived at based only on the knowledge that I have of the situation. A. Even if this man was so drunk that he had his stomach pumped shortly after participating in this conversation with me, there is absolutely no excuse for ever talking to another human being like that EVER. And B. If any girl has ever talked to or slept with this man, they have no respect for themselves whatsoever.
But, it's not just this guy or any girl who has given him the time of day.
We all know people that continuously allow others to take advantage of them. Here is a little tip for anyone who allows themselves to be treated like a doormat: No one will ever respect you until you respect yourself. If you set low expectations for yourself, no one will ever strive to give you what you truly deserve. If you consistently make bad decisions, date an absolute moron, or hangout with a group of people that no one respects, then do not expect people to respect you the way that you deserve to be respected. The people that you surround yourself with have a direct correlation with the way that people perceive you. Don't forget that.
My advice to you?
Surround yourself with good people. People like TJ. Whenever an idiot bothers you, the TJ's of the world will be sure that they leave you alone.
Listen to your parents. If they don't like your friends; there is probably a very good reason for that. When I was younger, my parents couldn't stand one of my friends. After a few years, I saw that their perception of my friend was absolutely correct. She was a shit friend with a horrendous attitude.
Set high expectations for your quality of life. Don't settle for anything less than you deserve, because you deserve the absolute best of everything. You'll have to believe me on this one until you have a moment of realization.
Above all else, remember who you are and what you stand for. If you don't stand for something you will fall for absolutely anything. Set goals for yourself and achieve them. Stand by your beliefs. Know who you are with absolutely no help from anyone else. And, most importantly, don't allow anyone else to taint your beliefs.
Here's to respecting yourself and allowing others to follow suit,
Have a fantastic week!
Xoxo <3
Last week was enchanting. Work went just wonderfully and I finally feel as though I am getting into the groove of my new place of work. My crew made many accomplishments over the last couple of weeks and for that I am grateful. I couldn't be more proud of everyone at 176 that has been and will continue to be apart of the 176 transformation. You guys are awesome.
On Thursday of last week, the management teams from the Pittsburgh districts got together for a company outing. About 20 of us went bowling and Jesse had his record bowling score of 40. Yep, 40. Maranol nearly bowled a ball into the next lane AND popped a bottle of champagne in the bowling alley that was otherwise filled with adult men in a bowling league. If we played "what didn't belong," it would have been us. But, we had a blast. I am thankful to have a job that has surrounded me with such great people over the last two years.
On Saturday evening, some of these same friends and I went out in the city and danced the night away in a club with a tremendous amount of falling confetti and old rap songs. At any rate, an incident that took place on Saturday is what inspired me to write this very blog. As we were walking along East Carson Street around 12:30a.m., a heavily intoxicated man stopped me.
Stranger: Excuse me.
Me: Yes? (thinking that one of my friends had dropped something on the sidewalk)
Stranger: Do you want to have sex with me?
Me: Oh? No thank you.
Stranger: I make tall babies.
Me: I'm sure I would also. No thank you, though.
Stranger: We could make basketball players.
TJ: Hey man, stop talking to her.
Stranger: Okay dude. Fuck off.
But after this happened I couldn't help but think, has this idiot used this same pick up line on other occasions and has it ever worked on an unsuspecting and heavily intoxicated female on the south side? Here are the conclusions that I have arrived at based only on the knowledge that I have of the situation. A. Even if this man was so drunk that he had his stomach pumped shortly after participating in this conversation with me, there is absolutely no excuse for ever talking to another human being like that EVER. And B. If any girl has ever talked to or slept with this man, they have no respect for themselves whatsoever.
But, it's not just this guy or any girl who has given him the time of day.
We all know people that continuously allow others to take advantage of them. Here is a little tip for anyone who allows themselves to be treated like a doormat: No one will ever respect you until you respect yourself. If you set low expectations for yourself, no one will ever strive to give you what you truly deserve. If you consistently make bad decisions, date an absolute moron, or hangout with a group of people that no one respects, then do not expect people to respect you the way that you deserve to be respected. The people that you surround yourself with have a direct correlation with the way that people perceive you. Don't forget that.
My advice to you?
Surround yourself with good people. People like TJ. Whenever an idiot bothers you, the TJ's of the world will be sure that they leave you alone.
Listen to your parents. If they don't like your friends; there is probably a very good reason for that. When I was younger, my parents couldn't stand one of my friends. After a few years, I saw that their perception of my friend was absolutely correct. She was a shit friend with a horrendous attitude.
Set high expectations for your quality of life. Don't settle for anything less than you deserve, because you deserve the absolute best of everything. You'll have to believe me on this one until you have a moment of realization.
Above all else, remember who you are and what you stand for. If you don't stand for something you will fall for absolutely anything. Set goals for yourself and achieve them. Stand by your beliefs. Know who you are with absolutely no help from anyone else. And, most importantly, don't allow anyone else to taint your beliefs.
Here's to respecting yourself and allowing others to follow suit,
Have a fantastic week!
Xoxo <3
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2012 In Review
Happy Wednesday to every one of you.
As many of you noticed, I didn't blog last week. However, it's not because I wanted to neglect anyone. I just so happened to be pretty busy. Luckily for all of you who have taken up an interest in my life, I have spent the last few days reading through journals from this past year. In a few short moments, you will be enjoying a small portion of the most entertaining things that have happened in 2012.
In early 2012, I learned that even if everyone else has bad things to say about your boyfriend, he can actually be a good person. Later in 2012, I realized that I was stupid. No matter how old you are or how much advice you get, it seems like you can only learn lessons from your own mistakes.
In March, I purchased a $1600 plane ticket to go to Germany. In May, I exchanged that ticket to travel abroad and decided to go to Hawaii with my family. This trip was magical. The flight was way too long but the resort and the beaches were amazing and beautiful. Perhaps I will live there someday.
In March, I celebrated my 24th birthday with everyone that is close to me. I was late to my own birthday party, watched Jesse clear off the bar with his crazy hand gestures, drank way too much, and barfed the entire way home. About a month ago, I barfed at a bar again. Really, 2012 just confirmed the idea that I am not a good drinker. I'm sure that 2013 will stay consistent with the years of drinking past.
In May, I ran my first half marathon. This was definitely in the top five best experiences of my entire life. I cannot even begin to describe the sense of accomplishment that I felt upon completing 13 miles of running. I am already registered for this year's Pittsburgh marathon in May, and I encourage anyone and everyone to participate.
Cue a dramatic email/facebook chat break up.
Also in May, I headed to Ithaca, NY to visit my friend Andrea. We had an absolute blast hiking through the woods to see the waterfalls and of course chugging wine at the winery. I hope that 2013 brings us to each other again.
In June, I got promoted to be the queen of the castle at the South Hills Hco. Store number 333 was the most perfect first store ever. To every single individual there, I love you so much. My life was touched by all of you and I will adore each one of you forever. Jess got promoted out of my store and I couldn't be more proud of her! I trained my first MIT there and she is just an angel. And, although Zach doesn't read this, he is the most genuine human being that I have ever met in my life, and I am blessed to even know him.
In July, someone hit my parked car in the mall parking lot and drove away. This marks the first time in 2012 that I cried. Thanks Jesse, for standing with me while I wallowed in my own misery. Roughly $1400 later, my Jetta was fixed.
In September, I faced by first back to school season as a store manager. It is absolutely baffling to see how crazy moms get in regards to jeans and tee shirts. Also in September, I ventured to Altoona, PA to try on dresses for my best friends wedding! Out of all of my facebook friends that got engaged last year, I can honestly say that I am happy for Jenna to be marrying Ryan this year. I love both of you and I cannot wait to be in the wedding. Carissa and Dave, the same applies to you guys. Pig will be my date, obviously. We will look good together.
In October, I planned to venture to NYC to visit Sara, Joel, and Ana... but hurricane Sandy ruined that for us. Luckily, their apartment building survived the storm and they were able to evacuate for the week of no electricity. In 2013, I will make it back to the big apple to participate in our usual shenanigans.
Novemeber and December brought on my first holiday season as a store manager and I can't believe that I survived. The amount of times that I was verbally assaulted should be illegal in PA. And finally, two weeks ago, just in time for the end of the holiday season... I was promoted again! This promotion came as a shock to me and I still can't believe that I am back at Ross Park leading the crazy show at the busiest store in the city. I am excited to see what we can do with the store. Keela, Kim, and Megan, you guys are awesome and I am so happy to have you as my team! Time to move mountains.
And now, quickly, I'd like to make a list of lessons that I learned in 2012:
* Hard work really does pay off.
* Karma exists, and thank God.
* Some people genuinely suck, no matter how nice you are to them.
* My gay-dar is wayyyyyy off.
* Most people don't consider popcorn to be a food but it obviously is.
* Some guys don't tell you they have a girlfriend until after you make out.
* Most people don't like wine, which is fine cause that means more for me!
* The south side still gets me every single time.
* Apparently getting engaged over the Christmas season is trendy.
* I love the gym more than I may ever love a human being.
* Larger women are very good at pilates and yoga.
* There are very few self-respecting girls left in the world.
* It is much easier to find terrible people than it is to find genuine ones.
* V8 smoothies are delicious.
* Abs are easily attainable.
* Sunday mornings with my lady friends are the perfect end to the week.
* Addiction is a terrible disease.
* No matter what you do, someone won't be pleased. And, that's fine.
* Immaturity still exists in 20-something year old girls.
* Heidi Golden is a saint, and I am happy to know her and work with her.
* Taking chances is absolutely imperative in life.
* Sitting in traffic really can ruin your day.
* Too many people are interested in my height and weight.
* It is sad that people with good health take it for granted.
* Giving to the less fortunate is quite rewarding.
* Generosity creates love.
* Believe nothing that you don't see with your own eyes or hear with your own ears.
* Family comes first. It's sad that some of you can't wrap your head around that, even in adulthood.
* Life is so much easier when you love what you do.
And finally, 2012 was the first year for my blog. Currently, I have 12,156 page views and I have only had the blog for about eight and a half months. I am intrigued and inspired by the fact that so many of you read this on a weekly basis. Every one of you is amazing.
Happy 2013 to all of you. I hope that you find happiness and prosperity in this year, and in your lives.
Here's to kicking off this year on the right foot,
Xoxo
As many of you noticed, I didn't blog last week. However, it's not because I wanted to neglect anyone. I just so happened to be pretty busy. Luckily for all of you who have taken up an interest in my life, I have spent the last few days reading through journals from this past year. In a few short moments, you will be enjoying a small portion of the most entertaining things that have happened in 2012.
In early 2012, I learned that even if everyone else has bad things to say about your boyfriend, he can actually be a good person. Later in 2012, I realized that I was stupid. No matter how old you are or how much advice you get, it seems like you can only learn lessons from your own mistakes.
In March, I purchased a $1600 plane ticket to go to Germany. In May, I exchanged that ticket to travel abroad and decided to go to Hawaii with my family. This trip was magical. The flight was way too long but the resort and the beaches were amazing and beautiful. Perhaps I will live there someday.
In March, I celebrated my 24th birthday with everyone that is close to me. I was late to my own birthday party, watched Jesse clear off the bar with his crazy hand gestures, drank way too much, and barfed the entire way home. About a month ago, I barfed at a bar again. Really, 2012 just confirmed the idea that I am not a good drinker. I'm sure that 2013 will stay consistent with the years of drinking past.
In May, I ran my first half marathon. This was definitely in the top five best experiences of my entire life. I cannot even begin to describe the sense of accomplishment that I felt upon completing 13 miles of running. I am already registered for this year's Pittsburgh marathon in May, and I encourage anyone and everyone to participate.
Cue a dramatic email/facebook chat break up.
Also in May, I headed to Ithaca, NY to visit my friend Andrea. We had an absolute blast hiking through the woods to see the waterfalls and of course chugging wine at the winery. I hope that 2013 brings us to each other again.
In June, I got promoted to be the queen of the castle at the South Hills Hco. Store number 333 was the most perfect first store ever. To every single individual there, I love you so much. My life was touched by all of you and I will adore each one of you forever. Jess got promoted out of my store and I couldn't be more proud of her! I trained my first MIT there and she is just an angel. And, although Zach doesn't read this, he is the most genuine human being that I have ever met in my life, and I am blessed to even know him.
In July, someone hit my parked car in the mall parking lot and drove away. This marks the first time in 2012 that I cried. Thanks Jesse, for standing with me while I wallowed in my own misery. Roughly $1400 later, my Jetta was fixed.
In September, I faced by first back to school season as a store manager. It is absolutely baffling to see how crazy moms get in regards to jeans and tee shirts. Also in September, I ventured to Altoona, PA to try on dresses for my best friends wedding! Out of all of my facebook friends that got engaged last year, I can honestly say that I am happy for Jenna to be marrying Ryan this year. I love both of you and I cannot wait to be in the wedding. Carissa and Dave, the same applies to you guys. Pig will be my date, obviously. We will look good together.
In October, I planned to venture to NYC to visit Sara, Joel, and Ana... but hurricane Sandy ruined that for us. Luckily, their apartment building survived the storm and they were able to evacuate for the week of no electricity. In 2013, I will make it back to the big apple to participate in our usual shenanigans.
Novemeber and December brought on my first holiday season as a store manager and I can't believe that I survived. The amount of times that I was verbally assaulted should be illegal in PA. And finally, two weeks ago, just in time for the end of the holiday season... I was promoted again! This promotion came as a shock to me and I still can't believe that I am back at Ross Park leading the crazy show at the busiest store in the city. I am excited to see what we can do with the store. Keela, Kim, and Megan, you guys are awesome and I am so happy to have you as my team! Time to move mountains.
And now, quickly, I'd like to make a list of lessons that I learned in 2012:
* Hard work really does pay off.
* Karma exists, and thank God.
* Some people genuinely suck, no matter how nice you are to them.
* My gay-dar is wayyyyyy off.
* Most people don't consider popcorn to be a food but it obviously is.
* Some guys don't tell you they have a girlfriend until after you make out.
* Most people don't like wine, which is fine cause that means more for me!
* The south side still gets me every single time.
* Apparently getting engaged over the Christmas season is trendy.
* I love the gym more than I may ever love a human being.
* Larger women are very good at pilates and yoga.
* There are very few self-respecting girls left in the world.
* It is much easier to find terrible people than it is to find genuine ones.
* V8 smoothies are delicious.
* Abs are easily attainable.
* Sunday mornings with my lady friends are the perfect end to the week.
* Addiction is a terrible disease.
* No matter what you do, someone won't be pleased. And, that's fine.
* Immaturity still exists in 20-something year old girls.
* Heidi Golden is a saint, and I am happy to know her and work with her.
* Taking chances is absolutely imperative in life.
* Sitting in traffic really can ruin your day.
* Too many people are interested in my height and weight.
* It is sad that people with good health take it for granted.
* Giving to the less fortunate is quite rewarding.
* Generosity creates love.
* Believe nothing that you don't see with your own eyes or hear with your own ears.
* Family comes first. It's sad that some of you can't wrap your head around that, even in adulthood.
* Life is so much easier when you love what you do.
And finally, 2012 was the first year for my blog. Currently, I have 12,156 page views and I have only had the blog for about eight and a half months. I am intrigued and inspired by the fact that so many of you read this on a weekly basis. Every one of you is amazing.
Happy 2013 to all of you. I hope that you find happiness and prosperity in this year, and in your lives.
Here's to kicking off this year on the right foot,
Xoxo
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Waiting on the World to Change
Good Sunday evening/Monday morning to all of my readers.
Contrary to the name of my blog, I don't know that I can muster up the courage to write about anything happy or hilarious based on the events that took place in our nation over the past week.
In the course of my life, I've done the best I can to keep a positive attitude regardless of what life throws my way. My father was sick for the greater part of my childhood. I watched as my father's health deteriorated year after year. In 2009, when two consecutive years of miracles began gracing my family's presence, I rejoiced. But, I never forgot the pain of the challenging years. Still today, I have strong memories of what it was like to have a heavy heart every single morning as I woke up to another day of life.
I've allowed my heart to be broken, at times; shattered. As I matured, I made the decision to create my own happiness and to never depend on others to put a smile on my face. This has proven incredibly successful for my well being over the years.
On Saturday morning (and Sunday morning) I woke up with a heavy heart again. The first time in years I woke up feeling sad, depressed even. Not from a bad break up or from a sick father, but for the absolute sadness that I feel for the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary, their families, the Newtown commuity, and for our country as a whole. I am in a semi-permanent state of shock and horror and I'm not sure how long it will continue.
What I do know is that these tragedies don't ever go away. No one can bring back the children or adults that lost their lives in Newtown, in Virginia Tech, in Columbine, in a Colorado movie theater, in the mall food court last week, at LA fitness in Pittsburgh two summers ago, or at intersections and in homes and street corners across our country each and every day. All of these tragedies have happened, and unfortunately, the likelihood that more will occur is high.
Instead of arguing about the cause of these tragedies, I encourage everyone to reflect on them, and use them as a tool to become a better person. Evil exists, and there is absolutely no doubt about it. We can't eliminate the evil. We can only work to combat it.
As happy as I am, I can't change the world alone.
This week, and from this point on, I challenge everyone to embrace the good things that are left in the world. I encourage anyone with positivity and happiness left, to try each day to impact someone's life. If we all did this, we may make a dent on all of the negativity and pain in the world.
In a conversation with a friend after the Newtown shooting, he told me "I'm going to stop watching the news and focus on what I can do to improve my life and the lives of those around me." I think that you have the right idea, Wano.
Everyone should ask themselves what they can do for humanity.
The families of the victims and of the demons lives will go on, but they will never forget the pain of their tragedies.
I don't believe that the world will end this month. But, I do believe that the world that we knew up until this point has ended, and I'm not sure that we will ever be able to get that back.
Here's to spreading positivity in a world with so many negatives,
Xoxo
Contrary to the name of my blog, I don't know that I can muster up the courage to write about anything happy or hilarious based on the events that took place in our nation over the past week.
In the course of my life, I've done the best I can to keep a positive attitude regardless of what life throws my way. My father was sick for the greater part of my childhood. I watched as my father's health deteriorated year after year. In 2009, when two consecutive years of miracles began gracing my family's presence, I rejoiced. But, I never forgot the pain of the challenging years. Still today, I have strong memories of what it was like to have a heavy heart every single morning as I woke up to another day of life.
I've allowed my heart to be broken, at times; shattered. As I matured, I made the decision to create my own happiness and to never depend on others to put a smile on my face. This has proven incredibly successful for my well being over the years.
On Saturday morning (and Sunday morning) I woke up with a heavy heart again. The first time in years I woke up feeling sad, depressed even. Not from a bad break up or from a sick father, but for the absolute sadness that I feel for the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary, their families, the Newtown commuity, and for our country as a whole. I am in a semi-permanent state of shock and horror and I'm not sure how long it will continue.
What I do know is that these tragedies don't ever go away. No one can bring back the children or adults that lost their lives in Newtown, in Virginia Tech, in Columbine, in a Colorado movie theater, in the mall food court last week, at LA fitness in Pittsburgh two summers ago, or at intersections and in homes and street corners across our country each and every day. All of these tragedies have happened, and unfortunately, the likelihood that more will occur is high.
Instead of arguing about the cause of these tragedies, I encourage everyone to reflect on them, and use them as a tool to become a better person. Evil exists, and there is absolutely no doubt about it. We can't eliminate the evil. We can only work to combat it.
As happy as I am, I can't change the world alone.
This week, and from this point on, I challenge everyone to embrace the good things that are left in the world. I encourage anyone with positivity and happiness left, to try each day to impact someone's life. If we all did this, we may make a dent on all of the negativity and pain in the world.
In a conversation with a friend after the Newtown shooting, he told me "I'm going to stop watching the news and focus on what I can do to improve my life and the lives of those around me." I think that you have the right idea, Wano.
Everyone should ask themselves what they can do for humanity.
The families of the victims and of the demons lives will go on, but they will never forget the pain of their tragedies.
I don't believe that the world will end this month. But, I do believe that the world that we knew up until this point has ended, and I'm not sure that we will ever be able to get that back.
Here's to spreading positivity in a world with so many negatives,
Xoxo
Monday, December 10, 2012
Righting (and Writing) Wrongs
Happy Monday, everyone!
This week, I only have to work four days! Thank you Abercrombie and Fitch for the comp day! I am going to spend it ice skating down town!
In last week's blog, I discussed what it was like working in the retail world during this time of year. I also talked about the fact that I have witnessed countless adults throwing temper tantrums in my store. I proposed to my readers, that if you witness one of these temper tantrums, you stand up for whoever it is that is having their day shit on.
This week, I was given that opportunity... twice.
Early in the week, I went to the tanning salon where I had a lengthy conversation with Kayla; the pleasant girl working at that time. Kayla told me about a customer that regularly gave her a difficult time. Though the tanning salon closes at 9pm on weeknights, and there is CLEARLY a sign posted that says the last tan is at 8:40pm, some idiot (the same idiot) shows up at 9pm and bangs on the door until Kayla lets her in to tan after hours.
Kayla doesn't get paid for the extra time that she stays at work, because she is only scheduled until 9. Yet, multiple times per week, this idiot shows up after close and demands that Kayla let her tan. Kayla is 17 years old and in high school. This middle aged woman has bullied her over and over again, and to be honest, it's juvenile and absurd. After I tanned, I sat down at the tanning salon until close. If this moron showed up, I was going to put her in her place. She didn't, and she was lucky. Kayla, I'll always have your back girl.
Fast forward to Friday night. I stepped out of the store to grab some food with one of my part timers. It was here that I witnessed a middle aged woman knock over her entire tray of food at Villa Pizza. She knocked over her drink which spilled onto the counter and floor, causing a chain reaction for her marinara sauce to also spill about the counter top. Do you know what she did? She picked up her plate of pizza and walked away. Initially, I thought that she maybe was going to look for a towel to clean up her mess with.
Nope.
I watched as she walked across the food court, found an empty table, and sat down to eat what she had salvaged from her meal. I asked the man working at the pizza place to please give me a wet towel so that I could clean up her mess. "You don't have to do that," he said. But, I insisted. After cleaning up her mess, I walked right over to the table where she was sitting. Now surrounded by three teenage girls I proclaimed to her, "Don't worry ma'am, I cleaned up the mess that you made over there." As she stared at me, dumbfounded, I told her to have a nice evening. If I really wanted to do her a favor, I would have taken the pizza away from her. To put it nicely, she didn't need it.
And last, but certainly not least, allow me to address the issue that continues to plague my life. There seems to be one idiot that won't leave me alone. It seems like someone's mother never told her "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." What her mother really should have told her was, "don't wake up in the morning and think up rumors to tell about people that have done nothing to you but help you." I digress.
After I spent a few hours feeling bad for myself regarding these straight up fallacies that this idiot spread about me, I took a second to remember everything that I stand for. At the end of the day, you can't please anyone but yourself. If other people want to make up lies, or talk badly about you, or be a moron in general, don't let it have any effect on your life. It's the best thing that you can do for yourself. I know who I am and the things that I stand for. The people that matter to me know who I am and what I stand for also. Really, nothing else matters.
With that being said, you my friend (just kidding) are the epitome of hell on earth. Not just to me, but to many.
Yesterday, I spent the early afternoon with Amy, Connie, and Theresa at Starbucks catching up on our week. I truly love each one of you ladies, and I'd like to let you know that you complete my Sundays.
Last night I went shopping for Christmas presents, not for myself or my family, but for less fortunate children. I have everything I could ever need in my life: happiness, health, and a life surrounded by great family and friends. I made a few purchases but my favorite was a glitter jump rope. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't contemplate getting a second one for myself. One little girl is about to be VERY happy.
By the time most of you read this, I am probably already elbow deep in Monday morning paperwork. At any rate, I hope you all have a fantastic week. God knows I will.
Here's to living your life for you,
Xoxo
This week, I only have to work four days! Thank you Abercrombie and Fitch for the comp day! I am going to spend it ice skating down town!
In last week's blog, I discussed what it was like working in the retail world during this time of year. I also talked about the fact that I have witnessed countless adults throwing temper tantrums in my store. I proposed to my readers, that if you witness one of these temper tantrums, you stand up for whoever it is that is having their day shit on.
This week, I was given that opportunity... twice.
Early in the week, I went to the tanning salon where I had a lengthy conversation with Kayla; the pleasant girl working at that time. Kayla told me about a customer that regularly gave her a difficult time. Though the tanning salon closes at 9pm on weeknights, and there is CLEARLY a sign posted that says the last tan is at 8:40pm, some idiot (the same idiot) shows up at 9pm and bangs on the door until Kayla lets her in to tan after hours.
Kayla doesn't get paid for the extra time that she stays at work, because she is only scheduled until 9. Yet, multiple times per week, this idiot shows up after close and demands that Kayla let her tan. Kayla is 17 years old and in high school. This middle aged woman has bullied her over and over again, and to be honest, it's juvenile and absurd. After I tanned, I sat down at the tanning salon until close. If this moron showed up, I was going to put her in her place. She didn't, and she was lucky. Kayla, I'll always have your back girl.
Fast forward to Friday night. I stepped out of the store to grab some food with one of my part timers. It was here that I witnessed a middle aged woman knock over her entire tray of food at Villa Pizza. She knocked over her drink which spilled onto the counter and floor, causing a chain reaction for her marinara sauce to also spill about the counter top. Do you know what she did? She picked up her plate of pizza and walked away. Initially, I thought that she maybe was going to look for a towel to clean up her mess with.
Nope.
I watched as she walked across the food court, found an empty table, and sat down to eat what she had salvaged from her meal. I asked the man working at the pizza place to please give me a wet towel so that I could clean up her mess. "You don't have to do that," he said. But, I insisted. After cleaning up her mess, I walked right over to the table where she was sitting. Now surrounded by three teenage girls I proclaimed to her, "Don't worry ma'am, I cleaned up the mess that you made over there." As she stared at me, dumbfounded, I told her to have a nice evening. If I really wanted to do her a favor, I would have taken the pizza away from her. To put it nicely, she didn't need it.
And last, but certainly not least, allow me to address the issue that continues to plague my life. There seems to be one idiot that won't leave me alone. It seems like someone's mother never told her "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." What her mother really should have told her was, "don't wake up in the morning and think up rumors to tell about people that have done nothing to you but help you." I digress.
After I spent a few hours feeling bad for myself regarding these straight up fallacies that this idiot spread about me, I took a second to remember everything that I stand for. At the end of the day, you can't please anyone but yourself. If other people want to make up lies, or talk badly about you, or be a moron in general, don't let it have any effect on your life. It's the best thing that you can do for yourself. I know who I am and the things that I stand for. The people that matter to me know who I am and what I stand for also. Really, nothing else matters.
With that being said, you my friend (just kidding) are the epitome of hell on earth. Not just to me, but to many.
Yesterday, I spent the early afternoon with Amy, Connie, and Theresa at Starbucks catching up on our week. I truly love each one of you ladies, and I'd like to let you know that you complete my Sundays.
Last night I went shopping for Christmas presents, not for myself or my family, but for less fortunate children. I have everything I could ever need in my life: happiness, health, and a life surrounded by great family and friends. I made a few purchases but my favorite was a glitter jump rope. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't contemplate getting a second one for myself. One little girl is about to be VERY happy.
By the time most of you read this, I am probably already elbow deep in Monday morning paperwork. At any rate, I hope you all have a fantastic week. God knows I will.
Here's to living your life for you,
Xoxo
Monday, December 3, 2012
Bad Attitudes EVERYWHERE
Happy Monday and happy December!
This past week has been filled with so much excitement for me that I can hardly keep track of it all! Last Friday, I kicked off my first holiday season since my promotion to store manager and I couldn't be more excited! I continue to absolutely adore my job and my coworkers each and every day. In fact, if I could go to work every day and only have communication with my the associates and managers at my store and throughout the company, every day would be like a vacation.
However, that is simply not possible.
The problematic part of the equation is really the fact that at some point, the doors open up and customers begin shopping. I use the term "shopping" very loosely. Most people that come into the store, make a big mess, and leave without making a single purchase. Less than half of the people that come "shopping" will respond to you let alone even look your way when you say hello to them. If I had a dollar for every time I asked, "Hi, how are you today?" and a customer responded with "No, I'm just looking." I would be able to retire. During the non-holiday time of year, I'd say that somewhere between 5-6% of people genuinely suck. When they enter the store, there is nothing that you can say or do that can fix it.
During the holiday season; however, that 5-6% turns into roughly 30% of permanently dissatisfied customers. You don't even have to work in retail to witness these idiots though. If you have ever waited in line at the mall, chances are you have seen someone throw an adult temper tantrum. You know, there's always one person in line that thinks that their time on earth is infinitely more important that anyone else's time. The person that huffs and puffs because, well gosh, it's CHRISTMAS TIME AND THEY HAVE TO WAIT IN A LINE because they aren't the only person that woke up on a Saturday in December and decided to go to the mall to go Christmas shopping. Please, spare me.
In the last week, I have been screamed at four times. When I say screamed at, I mean it. Four separate people gave me the business on four different occasions. I was verbally assaulted and told about myself on four out of five days that I worked last week. Luckily for me, I am resilient.
I'd like to take some time to talk about these individuals that gave me the business but before I do, please let me kindly remind you where I work. I work at a shopping mall. Nothing that I do, in any way, has any serious impact on someone's life or well being. I'm not providing chemotherapy to cancer patients. I'm not performing brain surgery on severe head trauma victims. I'm not an air traffic controller. I don't work in payroll. Nothing that I do at my place of work should have any substantial impact on someone's life. Nothing that I do should cause an adult temper tantrum. And, do you know why? Because, I sell tee shirts.
First adult temper tantrum of the week: The middle-aged mom that decided to create her own line on black Friday at approximately 12:20am. I approached the woman, and the small group of people that had followed her lead and politely pointed out that the line to the register had formed in the opposite direction. Every person casually walked to the other side of the store. Everyone except for the woman that started the problem. She yelled at me, basically because she was an idiot and couldn't use context clues, and when I said "okay" that made it even worse. "Yeah, it's okay to you because YOU haven't been waiting in line." I walked away, end of story. Reminder, my store opened at midnight. She yelled at me at 12:20. If she entered the store as soon as we opened, grabbed an item, and got into line, she had been "waiting in line" for 20 minutes AT THE MOST. I worked from 10:30p.m on Thanksgiving until 2p.m. on Friday. Yet, this bitch had the nerve to insinuate that I didn't understand her time contraints. I legitimately hope that her vehicle ran out of gas on the way home.
Second adult temper tantrum: An average mom that thought that she was a lot hotter than she actually was AND thought that she understood how my point of sale system worked. This bitch told me that she wanted to talk to me while I was still wearing my coat and purse. I just walked into my store and she was pulling me away from the register and into a different room. She wanted to lecture me in private, so that was nice. Her ranted started with "I work at Coach..." and from that point on I made the decision to go ahead and block out whatever came out of her stupid mouth for the next five minutes or so. The last thing she said was, "You probably think I'm a bitch." I said that I didn't but, well, I lied. In the end, she told me that she just wanted to let me know how she didn't like the fact that she could only use her coupon once. In the words of Jesse, "Oh, so she wanted a forever coupon?" But yes, that is exactly what she wanted. I hope that someone poops on the floor at the Coach store.
The other two women that told me about myself this week were in regards to a return with an un-scannable receipt and an out of stock glitter sweater. If the worst thing that happened to either of these women was that they could only get cash back instead of having the money refunded to her American Express or that my store was sold out of a glitter sweater, then they have fantastic lives. But, not if you ask them. The performance that the woman with the American Express card deserved an academy award.
I'll leave you with a few final thoughts.
There are people dying, right now, as I type this. There are people starving. There are people that are homeless. There are people that are alone. There are people that are illiterate. There are people that don't know their families. There are people that won't get to celebrate Christmas.
Instead of being angry because a store doesn't have the sweater that you want, be grateful that you have the ability to leave your warm house and drive to a shopping mall to spend $50 on a sweater that you probably don't need anyway. Be grateful that you live in America. Be thankful that you have food to eat, that you have a family to love you, and that you have good health. Just be grateful to be alive.
Once you we can wrap our heads around the idea that there are 7 BILLION people in the world and that your "problem" of a sold out sweater or a long line or an expired coupon isn't a problem at all in the grand scheme of life, perhaps we could spend more time being thankful for all that we have.
And finally, if you see someone throwing one of these adult temper tantrums in public, please tell them to fuck themselves. First off, because they should. And secondly, because whoever they are unloading all of their troubles on cannot tell them to do so without losing their job.
Here's to tackling bad attitudes and spreading holiday cheer,
Xoxo
This past week has been filled with so much excitement for me that I can hardly keep track of it all! Last Friday, I kicked off my first holiday season since my promotion to store manager and I couldn't be more excited! I continue to absolutely adore my job and my coworkers each and every day. In fact, if I could go to work every day and only have communication with my the associates and managers at my store and throughout the company, every day would be like a vacation.
However, that is simply not possible.
The problematic part of the equation is really the fact that at some point, the doors open up and customers begin shopping. I use the term "shopping" very loosely. Most people that come into the store, make a big mess, and leave without making a single purchase. Less than half of the people that come "shopping" will respond to you let alone even look your way when you say hello to them. If I had a dollar for every time I asked, "Hi, how are you today?" and a customer responded with "No, I'm just looking." I would be able to retire. During the non-holiday time of year, I'd say that somewhere between 5-6% of people genuinely suck. When they enter the store, there is nothing that you can say or do that can fix it.
During the holiday season; however, that 5-6% turns into roughly 30% of permanently dissatisfied customers. You don't even have to work in retail to witness these idiots though. If you have ever waited in line at the mall, chances are you have seen someone throw an adult temper tantrum. You know, there's always one person in line that thinks that their time on earth is infinitely more important that anyone else's time. The person that huffs and puffs because, well gosh, it's CHRISTMAS TIME AND THEY HAVE TO WAIT IN A LINE because they aren't the only person that woke up on a Saturday in December and decided to go to the mall to go Christmas shopping. Please, spare me.
In the last week, I have been screamed at four times. When I say screamed at, I mean it. Four separate people gave me the business on four different occasions. I was verbally assaulted and told about myself on four out of five days that I worked last week. Luckily for me, I am resilient.
I'd like to take some time to talk about these individuals that gave me the business but before I do, please let me kindly remind you where I work. I work at a shopping mall. Nothing that I do, in any way, has any serious impact on someone's life or well being. I'm not providing chemotherapy to cancer patients. I'm not performing brain surgery on severe head trauma victims. I'm not an air traffic controller. I don't work in payroll. Nothing that I do at my place of work should have any substantial impact on someone's life. Nothing that I do should cause an adult temper tantrum. And, do you know why? Because, I sell tee shirts.
First adult temper tantrum of the week: The middle-aged mom that decided to create her own line on black Friday at approximately 12:20am. I approached the woman, and the small group of people that had followed her lead and politely pointed out that the line to the register had formed in the opposite direction. Every person casually walked to the other side of the store. Everyone except for the woman that started the problem. She yelled at me, basically because she was an idiot and couldn't use context clues, and when I said "okay" that made it even worse. "Yeah, it's okay to you because YOU haven't been waiting in line." I walked away, end of story. Reminder, my store opened at midnight. She yelled at me at 12:20. If she entered the store as soon as we opened, grabbed an item, and got into line, she had been "waiting in line" for 20 minutes AT THE MOST. I worked from 10:30p.m on Thanksgiving until 2p.m. on Friday. Yet, this bitch had the nerve to insinuate that I didn't understand her time contraints. I legitimately hope that her vehicle ran out of gas on the way home.
Second adult temper tantrum: An average mom that thought that she was a lot hotter than she actually was AND thought that she understood how my point of sale system worked. This bitch told me that she wanted to talk to me while I was still wearing my coat and purse. I just walked into my store and she was pulling me away from the register and into a different room. She wanted to lecture me in private, so that was nice. Her ranted started with "I work at Coach..." and from that point on I made the decision to go ahead and block out whatever came out of her stupid mouth for the next five minutes or so. The last thing she said was, "You probably think I'm a bitch." I said that I didn't but, well, I lied. In the end, she told me that she just wanted to let me know how she didn't like the fact that she could only use her coupon once. In the words of Jesse, "Oh, so she wanted a forever coupon?" But yes, that is exactly what she wanted. I hope that someone poops on the floor at the Coach store.
The other two women that told me about myself this week were in regards to a return with an un-scannable receipt and an out of stock glitter sweater. If the worst thing that happened to either of these women was that they could only get cash back instead of having the money refunded to her American Express or that my store was sold out of a glitter sweater, then they have fantastic lives. But, not if you ask them. The performance that the woman with the American Express card deserved an academy award.
I'll leave you with a few final thoughts.
There are people dying, right now, as I type this. There are people starving. There are people that are homeless. There are people that are alone. There are people that are illiterate. There are people that don't know their families. There are people that won't get to celebrate Christmas.
Instead of being angry because a store doesn't have the sweater that you want, be grateful that you have the ability to leave your warm house and drive to a shopping mall to spend $50 on a sweater that you probably don't need anyway. Be grateful that you live in America. Be thankful that you have food to eat, that you have a family to love you, and that you have good health. Just be grateful to be alive.
Once you we can wrap our heads around the idea that there are 7 BILLION people in the world and that your "problem" of a sold out sweater or a long line or an expired coupon isn't a problem at all in the grand scheme of life, perhaps we could spend more time being thankful for all that we have.
And finally, if you see someone throwing one of these adult temper tantrums in public, please tell them to fuck themselves. First off, because they should. And secondly, because whoever they are unloading all of their troubles on cannot tell them to do so without losing their job.
Here's to tackling bad attitudes and spreading holiday cheer,
Xoxo
Monday, November 26, 2012
Being the Change You Want To See in the World
Happy Monday morning, I love everyone.
First and foremost I would like to extend the worlds largest thank you to Heidi, Caroline, Zach, Ashley, Jesse, and the 83 part-timers that made this Black Friday a huge success. We made it! I was only screamed at a handful of times, but no one was ruining my day! But, I could not have done it without everyone's hard work and long hours. Tia, thanks for working for 24 hours, you are a psycho, and I'm saying that with love. I seriously love every single one of you in my Hco family and your hard work certainly did not go unnoticed.
Here, you can see all of the beautiful souls that worked on Thanksgiving at 11p.m.
Shout out to my shirtless greeters, you guys did a great job taking countless photos and letting pre-teens, old women, and weird men bother you for 6 consecutive hours. Dana, thanks for spending your birthday at the pier. Lexi, thanks for fighting crime. Ashley, I have no idea how you stayed awake for your ball, but you go girl. Baby Nicole, keep up the sass, don't let those mom's boss you around. Everyone else, you're all awesome. Mom loves you! <3
For all of my retail friends, happy holidays, I'll be praying for you every moment of every day from now until January.
As most of you know, I don't watch any television other than the news. But between watching coverage on wars, gun violence and sport's coverage... every now and then something gains my attention in a positive way. Last night, on 60 Minutes, I saw the most enchanting story about one man who made it his life mission to save children. Now, he is spearheading an effort to guide children to help other children. The mantra of his global effort is as follows:
"The things we are thankful for tend to come from people who devote their lives to something greater than themselves."
What a beautiful thought.
As a child, Craig Kielburger learned of all the hardships that other kids around the world faced. At a young age, he learned of children that were enslaved, starving, without clean water and uneducated. Upon realizing that not all children were as fortunate as him, he made it his life goal to change it. Sixteen years later, Kielburger has gathered countless children who feel the same way that he does. He has raised tens of millions of dollars in his efforts and also created an army of young volunteers that travel around the world working with the less fortunate children of the world. The story was absolutely amazing and I encourage everyone to watch it or read about it here. Also, learn more about Kielburger's accomplishments and efforts on his website Free The Children. It is inspiring to see the countless adolescents that are working to make a difference in the world.
Seeing the passion and dedication of one man that had an idea and created it into a worldwide movement was mind blowing. I couldn't help but think of what the world would be like if everyone set out to make positive changes to the world around them.
On a smaller level, but just as importantly, Abercrombie and Fitch has a holiday charity every year that benefits individuals that work for the company. These associates are current employees that face medical hardships and the financial burdens that come with them. This year, the holiday charity will benefit four associates; one from Germany, one from Texas, one from New Jersey, and one from Pittsburgh! Our region is very excited to have someone from our area represented in the holiday charity this year. Ashley, an associate at Robinson AnF is battling Lupus and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments to slow down the progression of the disease. Of the other associates that the holiday charity benefits this year, two have cancer, and one is waiting on the transplant list for a kidney.
This year, the stores in the Pittsburgh area are looking to put together a charity event to benefit Ashley and the other associates for this year's charity. If you have any ideas on events that we could do between now and January, please let me know. Also, if you are interested in donating, you can do so at any Anf, Abercrombie kids, or Hollister store. Last year, the holiday store charity raised $135, 000 to benefitting the recipients. This year, we aspire to raise even more money. With your help, we can. Let's give these associates a chance at a better life, they deserve it.
Helping others can be done in simple ways also, not just monetarily. Smile, say please and thank you, ask someone how their day is, hold a door open for them, let someone merge in traffic, donate to a food bank, volunteer your time, do anything that you can to make someone else's day a little bit easier. If we could live like this, if everyone gave a little of something, imagine the difference in the world.
Let's use this holiday season to be thankful for all that we've got, and give to those who may not be as fortunate as we are. Find a cause and fight for it. Together, we can make a difference.
"To know that one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded."~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Here's to helping others, and inspiring them to do the same, and so on and so forth,
Until next week,
Xoxo
 |
| Helloooo Holiday Season! |
Here, you can see all of the beautiful souls that worked on Thanksgiving at 11p.m.
Shout out to my shirtless greeters, you guys did a great job taking countless photos and letting pre-teens, old women, and weird men bother you for 6 consecutive hours. Dana, thanks for spending your birthday at the pier. Lexi, thanks for fighting crime. Ashley, I have no idea how you stayed awake for your ball, but you go girl. Baby Nicole, keep up the sass, don't let those mom's boss you around. Everyone else, you're all awesome. Mom loves you! <3
For all of my retail friends, happy holidays, I'll be praying for you every moment of every day from now until January.
As most of you know, I don't watch any television other than the news. But between watching coverage on wars, gun violence and sport's coverage... every now and then something gains my attention in a positive way. Last night, on 60 Minutes, I saw the most enchanting story about one man who made it his life mission to save children. Now, he is spearheading an effort to guide children to help other children. The mantra of his global effort is as follows:
"The things we are thankful for tend to come from people who devote their lives to something greater than themselves."
What a beautiful thought.
As a child, Craig Kielburger learned of all the hardships that other kids around the world faced. At a young age, he learned of children that were enslaved, starving, without clean water and uneducated. Upon realizing that not all children were as fortunate as him, he made it his life goal to change it. Sixteen years later, Kielburger has gathered countless children who feel the same way that he does. He has raised tens of millions of dollars in his efforts and also created an army of young volunteers that travel around the world working with the less fortunate children of the world. The story was absolutely amazing and I encourage everyone to watch it or read about it here. Also, learn more about Kielburger's accomplishments and efforts on his website Free The Children. It is inspiring to see the countless adolescents that are working to make a difference in the world.
Seeing the passion and dedication of one man that had an idea and created it into a worldwide movement was mind blowing. I couldn't help but think of what the world would be like if everyone set out to make positive changes to the world around them.
On a smaller level, but just as importantly, Abercrombie and Fitch has a holiday charity every year that benefits individuals that work for the company. These associates are current employees that face medical hardships and the financial burdens that come with them. This year, the holiday charity will benefit four associates; one from Germany, one from Texas, one from New Jersey, and one from Pittsburgh! Our region is very excited to have someone from our area represented in the holiday charity this year. Ashley, an associate at Robinson AnF is battling Lupus and is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments to slow down the progression of the disease. Of the other associates that the holiday charity benefits this year, two have cancer, and one is waiting on the transplant list for a kidney.
This year, the stores in the Pittsburgh area are looking to put together a charity event to benefit Ashley and the other associates for this year's charity. If you have any ideas on events that we could do between now and January, please let me know. Also, if you are interested in donating, you can do so at any Anf, Abercrombie kids, or Hollister store. Last year, the holiday store charity raised $135, 000 to benefitting the recipients. This year, we aspire to raise even more money. With your help, we can. Let's give these associates a chance at a better life, they deserve it.
Helping others can be done in simple ways also, not just monetarily. Smile, say please and thank you, ask someone how their day is, hold a door open for them, let someone merge in traffic, donate to a food bank, volunteer your time, do anything that you can to make someone else's day a little bit easier. If we could live like this, if everyone gave a little of something, imagine the difference in the world.
Let's use this holiday season to be thankful for all that we've got, and give to those who may not be as fortunate as we are. Find a cause and fight for it. Together, we can make a difference.
"To know that one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded."~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Here's to helping others, and inspiring them to do the same, and so on and so forth,
Until next week,
Xoxo
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