Allow me to introduce ... Rachel Floriano!

I'd like to introduce everyone to Rachel Floriano. A wonderful Hotline Advocate since Spring 2008 with a wonderful personality to match!

I had a few questions for Rachel ...

What led you to volunteer with the CRCC?
I was looking for something to do over the summer that was related to my field of study (psychology) and my friend at college, Kim Zarczynski, told me about the CRCC. We decided to go through training together and it was an amazing experience. (I secretly want to sneak back into training and do it all again!)

Rachel and Kim

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with the CRCC?

I like the feeling that I have helped someone in some small way. When someone leaves the hotline in a better mood than when they called, I know that I have done something good for someone else and I like that.

What do you find most challenging about volunteering with the CRCC?

What I find most challenging and most rewarding is forgetting about myself, my opinions, and how good or bad my day was, and focusing entirely on someone else for those few minutes so that I can make someone else's day better.

What do you do most often to practice self-care?

After a shift I will frequently need an hour or two of relaxation time so I make sure that it is available. If I have a particularly stressful shift I will read trashy romance novels for a few hours or watch some cartoons so that I spend the next few hours smiling and laughing to balance myself out.

If money wasn't an issue, describe your ideal vacation. Where would you go? What would you do? Who would you take with you?

I am planning my dream vacation - a trip to Rome with my boyfriend and best friend and I am SO excited about that. We plan on going to as many historical sites as we can possibly cram into 7 days. I will be sure to send pictures when I get back!

What is your dream car?
An antique 60s mustang convertible.

Favorites...
Well first I have to say I don't really have a favorite thing because I have this knack for loving everything. I think this makes my life richer ... my mom says it just means I hate making decisions. Lol. Maybe it's a little of both.

Book: I could spend my entire life reading if you let me so this is very difficult. A few of my favorites are Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, anything by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, I like the new Dexter novels by Jeff Lindsey, Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold ... OK I just love to read. I guess that will suffice!

Website: The CRCCs of course! Lol. I also love http://www.postsecret.com/ and http://www.examiner.com/.

Music: Oh gosh ... I particularly love country music, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum. But I also love Jay Sean, Beyonce ... I love everything except polka, how does that work?

Meal: Mom's Swedish meatballs and brownie pie