I was born in the suburbs of Chicago (10 min away from O’Hare Airport). I have an older brother who is 33. We did not get along at all when we were younger. I was very hyper all the time and acted without thinking. He was calmer and more introverted. We had a very different understanding of what bonding meant, so we fought more than we got along. We discovered when I was 6 that I had severe ADHD, which made learning in a typical classroom environment difficult. Once I got into sports, it was better since that would drain all the energy I had for the day. I played softball for 12 years before I had to stop due to lack of team near me and health issues.
I tried going away to college for the first year after I graduated high school, but I got sick both semesters when I went out there and ended up withdrawing from that college. I then attempted to go to a local college, which turned out to be a bust, since I am way too social and would rather talk to my classmates and friends than go to class. A couple years later I ended up moving out here to Peoria. I discovered the local community college ICC and that they had Online Anytime classes. These formats of classes work best for me and my work schedule along with the fact that I can do this anywhere and anytime. I am not stuck with going into a class filled with distractions ie other classmates, surrounding areas and new space. I am easily distracted by these types of things, and I prefer to work with music on and or I will listen to a movie in the background. This provides me with just the right amount of stimulation and will help me focus on the task at hand.
The first job I ever had was at an arcade in Northbrook, IL. It was called Nickel City, and it ran completely on nickels. It was fun and I enjoyed working there. I learned how to host parties for guests that booked with us. Once I moved out to Peoria, I got a job at HGS call center. I worked there for about 3 months, before I was let go due to having used all my extra time, since I got sick during our training time and had to miss some training days. Once I was done there, I applied at Build a Bear workshop in Northwoods Mall, and I’ve been there for the last 8 years. I genuinely love working at Build a Bear as it brings me joy to help children make their dream bears and help adults have the childhood they never got to have when they were younger. It helps that I am a plushie collector and have loved them since i was 3. I used to sneak one to school with me all the time and got in trouble for having like 4 in my locker at a time. This job is more than just a job; it’s a wonderful way to bond and make connections with people from all backgrounds.
I have many hobbies. I like to collect stuffed animals, play video games, hang out with friends, and play dungeons and dragons. I’ve been collecting stuffed animals since I was 3 years old. I just love the cute little faces and how soft they are to touch. Once I started making my own money my collecting only grew far more than when I was a child. I do also play video games in my spare time. I play games on the XBOX such as Hogwarts Legacy, GTA 5, Sea of Thieves, and many more. I also play quite a bit of computer/mobile games such as Honkai Star Rail, Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero, Wuthering Waves, Hearthstone, Magic the Gathering via Cockatrice, and a few more. I hang out with my friends when I have time and we play board games, my favorite is What Do You Meme?. I have 5 expansions of that particular game. I’ve also been in quite a few dungeon and dragons campaigns. Those campaigns were all online with people from everywhere, and they were so fun. I made quite a few friends playing and still talk to them to this day.
I collect more than just stuffed animals. I also collect RPG dice, since they come in so many different colors and designs. I also collect anything with a raccoon or opossum on it, as those are my favorite animals. My dream is to domesticate both one day and have them as pets. Enamel pins are also something I collect and put on my backpacks. I have many Lounge fly mini backpacks as well, as they are what I use instead of a purse. This last thing is more for my son than it is for me, I collect the Belizi dinosaurs for him. They are just so chubby and soft, which is top priority concerning stuffed animals.
