I decided that for my first blog post, it makes sense to tell you a little bit about myself.  So here we go. 🙂

25 Facts About Me

My name is Erica. I am 27 years old, and I was born & raised in the suburbs, about 15 minutes north of Boston.

I am a Medical Administrator. (At least, I think that’s what my title would be.)  I work for an orthopaedic spinal surgeon, in a private practice.  It’s a small office, and we are a very tight knit group.  I really enjoy it.  I book appointments, MRI’s, CT scans, etcetcetc.

I have always wanted to be a writer. I’ve been writing stories since I was a little girl.  Granted, I never seem to finish these stories.  Half way through, I tend to get bored and lose interest.  I always come up with a new, better sounding plot and characters.  My goal is to really sit down and focus on finishing some of my work.

You may be wondering why I am in the Medical field when writing is my passion. Two reasons – one, unless I become a J.K. Rowling overnight, I would not have true job security or financial stability.  Secondly, I like what I do.  I like to help people, I always have.

I started working straight out of high school. ( I was not the greatest student in the world.)  I got a job in childcare, and I ended up staying in that field for the next seven years.  I became teacher certified in the state of MA, and I eventually had my own classroom.  I truly loved it.  My co-teacher was one of my best friends.  I taught all age groups, from infants to Pre-K, but I realized that preschool was my favorite age.  I met so many wonderful families, and I bonded with so many children.  I felt as though I was making a difference in the world – teaching is extremely rewarding.  However, I reached a point towards the end of my seventh year teaching where I no longer looked forward to coming to work anymore.  It wasn’t the children, it was more how the childcare industry operates in general.  I was stressed out and became exhausted.  It was time for a change.

I think of 25 as my “quarter life crisis” year. I was miserable at work, my anxiety had reached an all time high, and I could not handle having any more panic attacks.  I decided to make a career change.  It was the scariest decision I ever made.  I felt like I had no other skills – childcare was the only thing I had ever known.  And now I was trying to branch out into an office.  I went on countless interviews.  For this, I am grateful, because it helped me realize that I wanted to pursue something in the medical field.  It also helped with my anxiety immensely.  I went from sometimes skipping interviews because I was so anxious, to being able to breeze through them.  Sure, I got nervous, but the more interviews I went on, the easier it became.  I think that’s why I got hired when I did – I finally had faith in myself.  I believed that I was worthy of the position, and it showed.

As I’ve just mentioned, I have anxiety. Diagnosed.  It’s not something I shared with anyone for a long time.  I was embarrassed about it.  Ashamed even.  I didn’t think anyone would understand.  My friends all thought I was such a jerk when I bailed on plans.  I would agree to do something, and then I would back out at the last minute.  It’s not because I didn’t want to go – yes, I wanted to celebrate so and so’s birthday in Boston, dammit! – but my anxiety controlled me.  The thought of big crowds terrified me.  I feared having a panic attack in public.  With the right help, I’ve been able to get my anxiety under control.  Don’t get me wrong, I still live with it every single day.  It’s just more manageable now.  It took me a long time to get to this point.  I talk myself through moments of panic now.  I tell people when I’m feeling a little anxious.  I’m not ashamed or embarrassed by it any longer.  I would make it go away forever, if I could, but I can’t.  So instead, I do whatever I can to ease my mind and calm my fears.

I am in a relationship. My amazing boyfriend’s name is Saul.  He’s so much more than my boyfriend, though.  He’s my best friend.  He’s my favorite person.  My life is 100% better because he is in it.  Saul is caring, he’s loving, he’s silly.  He’s also very logical.  (I, on the other hand, am not very logical.  I’m all emotions.)  There’s a Modern Family quote that I really like – I can’t remember the whole thing, but Cam says it about his relationship with Mitchell.   How the Dreamers and the Realists are good for each other, because the Dreamers help the Realists fly, and the Realists ground the Dreamers.  Something like that.  It reminds me of our relationship.  In October, it will be three years since our first date.  We live together, and it’s amazing.  It’s like having a sleepover with your best friend every single night.  I couldn’t be happier.

My birthday is December 10^th, which makes me a Sagittarius.  (AKA, Worlds Greatest Astrological Sign.)  I’m really into astrology, I find it fascinating.  Anything mystical, spiritual, or otherworldly interests me.  Ghosts, psychics, mediums – I believe in it all.

My Mom, Greta, is my Best Friend. We’ve always been close (minus some of my bratty teenage years).  She’s amazing.  She is selfless, thoughtful, and generous.  She does so much for everyone – sometimes I wish she would just slow down, relax, and only worry about herself.  If anyone deserves relaxation, it’s Greta.  We always joke that she doesn’t know how to just “do nothing.”  She’s constantly on the go, even when she is exhausted.  She’s the only Mom I know waking up at 5AM to make sure she is on her treadmill.  I admire my mother so much.  She inspires me.  I hope that I can be even half of the woman and mother she is one day.

My family and friends mean the world to me. My Dad, Jim, is a total goofball.  He’s constantly making jokes and acting silly.  My Brother, James, and I have had our share of sibling rivalry.  We had a love/hate relationship for a long time.  I think because we are both older now, and growing up, we’ve been able to connect differently.  I love my brother, he’s really funny and he’s very fun to be around.  It also helps that we no longer live under the same roof! LOL.  Then there is my cousin, Melissa, who is basically my sister.  We have done everything together since she was born.  Mel is one of my best friends.  She’s so sweet and silly, and absolutely gorgeous.  We seriously buy each other “sister” cards on our birthdays.  Her boyfriend used to always tease us about it.  Mel is like my twin.  We have very similar personalities.  She understands me like no other – my anxiety, my sense of humor.  We just get each other, honestly.  My favorite childhood memories all involve Melissa and her two brothers, my cousins, Richie and Steve.  I wouldn’t trade those memories for the world.  (Hampton Days forever, Mel.)  Melissa is fabulous.  I love her a latte. (Insert silly Starbucks picture here.)  My friends are amazing friends as well.  I have a few true, they know who they are!

With that being said, my best friend, Jenalynn, get hers own spot. Jena has been through it all with me, through thick and thin, she’s always been my voice of reason.  Jen is beautiful, fun, and a great therapist.  She is also the best interior designer you will ever meet.  Seriously, her house should be featured in Architectural Digest, it’s fabulous. And her dog, Boo Johnson, is the cutest pup in the world.  I have no idea where I would be today without Jen.  Through all of the fake friends, crappy guys, and career changes, she has all been my constant.  We have fun doing anything together.  She is one of the only people I can travel with and not want to kill.  (She may not say the same about me, I’m a lot of work at the airport!)  We have inside jokes that even we don’t remember because they’re so ridiculous.  When you get myself, Jena & Amaritta together – forget it. Our silliness has no limits.  We used to drive Jena’s brother, Bobby, crazy.  We probably drove everyone around us crazy, actually.  It makes me smile just to think about it.  (Sorry God, seriously.)

I have only been out of the country twice. The first time I was 18, and I went to Canada with basically all of Stoneham High.  The second time was this past February, to Punta Cana.  It was pure paradise.  I want to travel more.  My travel wish list includes: Italy, Greece and Aruba.

I love love love to read. I will read anything.  Currently, mysteries are my favorite.  I just read The Luckiest Girl Alive, which was an amazing book by Jessica Knoll.  Nicholas Sparks used to be my favorite author, but I’m kind of over those mushy romance books (though Dear John will always be one of my favorites.) I also was on a huge vampire kick after I discovered my love for Twilight.  If you asked me right now what my all time favorite book was, I don’t think I could answer.  There are just so many to choose from!  Jackie Collins is/was (RIP) my favorite author ever.  I’ve read every single book she’s ever written, and Lucky Santangelo was one of my favorite literary characters.  I recently read Jane Eyre, which I surprisingly loved.  The Great Gatsby is another favorite.

I dye my hair very often. I’ve been brunette for a while now, but there was a time when I was platinum blonde.  I’ve contemplated going back to lighter hair, but I don’t think I will.  I change my mind too often.  I think I look better with darker hair, too.

I love to nap. I obviously don’t have time to nap during the week, because adulting gets in the way, but I would if I could.  Napping on a rainy day, or after a long beach day is amazing.

I love dogs, but I’m super allergic. It’s weird, because I never used to be.  I had a dog when I was a teenager (Lilly, my sis forever!) and I wasn’t allergic to her.  Now when I’m around dogs I break out in hives.  Taking Claritin helps.  I just really want a cute little Weiner dog, who I would name Ollie.  I follow this really cute dog, Ringo, on Instagram.  He’s from Spain.  I want a puppy who looks just like him.

Britney Spears is my favorite celebrity of all time. I’ve been obsessed since I met her at the Kiss 108 concert back in 1999.  She is such a beautiful person, inside and out.  She’s talented, she’s hot, and she’s a fabulous mama! I’m dying to go see her in Vegas.

I went to Nashville in 2013 with Jena, and I absolutely fell in love. Nashville is just so pretty – the houses in Belle Mead are literally breath taking.  It’s like a different world there, everyone is so friendly.  Nothing like Boston, that’s for sure.  I had a blast going to all of the bars on Broadway and listening to live country music.  It was magical.  (I sound so corny, but I’m so serious!) I would love to go back.  And soon.

You now know that I am a Britney fan, and a country music lover. Some of my other favorite artists are: Drake, Rihanna, Miranda Lambert, Selena Gomez.  I love Lana Del Rey.  Sometimes I think I relate to her on a spiritual level.

I get genuinely upset when/if I miss Jeopardy. (Saul and I do not have DVR, we live in the stone ages.)  I like watching it faithfully every night.  It’s more fun to watch it with someone, too.  No one really seems to like to watch it with me, though.  I like to keep score. 😛

Some other TV Shows/Movies I enjoy are: Pretty Little Liars, The Real Housewives (OC & Beverly Hills), Law & Order SVU. (Liv & Stabler forever.) Movies: Clueless, Mean Girls, Legally Blonde – your typical basic white girl movies.

I love the ocean. I may have been a mermaid in a past life.  I don’t care how cold the water is, I am going in, and I am dunking under.  It’s so refreshing!  It’s also very soothing.  I feel very peaceful and serene when I’m at the beach, watching the waves crash against the shore.  (Until I start burning like a Lobster, which always seems to happen, no matter how much SPF I use.)

I believe in the Law of Attraction. I love to make “Life Boards”, or Vision Boards, as other people call them.  I like to see what I want all mapped out in front of me.  I look back on past life boards I’ve made, and it’s funny, because a lot of the stuff on there has actually come true.  (Clearly, not everything, because I still do not have the body of Britney.)  Enough has happened though to make me believe that putting my goals and wants out in the Universe can actually work.