In my recent busyness I caught myself thinking, "What to do... what to do... so busy! I've got to carve out some time in my week to get some writing done! Gotta write gotta write gotta write."
...But why?When my life is so swamped in every which way, how does writing somehow rank above a solid night of sleep?
This is what I've collected so far.
I've always felt compelled to write--- anything and everything--- my thoughts, my opinions, my day to day tedious activities or recipes or quotes. Songs, poems, anxious or bitter or hopelessly enamored little letters that are never sent but rather stored in shoeboxes, shoved into books or left in folders on computer desktops. I've never made rules about writing. Never commanded myself to write once a day or to keep a diary perfectly put-together in sensible chronological order. I write in blurbs. In run-on sentences. On post-it notes. With coffee spills or cat barf stains. No rules. Just writing.
For the first time it just happens to be in the open---here. It's very exhilarating, not to mention challenging-- determining what is appropriate to share and what is entirely pedestrian to readers.
So why do I write? Though it hardly is something that I can corner, I stumbled upon this quote that touches on some of my sentiments:
"If we live inside a bad joke, it is up to us to learn, at best and worst, to tell it well."
Jonathan RabanIn the search for harmony and balance and gratitude, I write. I certainly don't think my life is a bad joke. Actually, if my life was a joke it would probably be a subtly clever anecdotal limerick with a bit of potty humor, just for good measure. I like that.
And of course there's the simple sake of having a story. Because that's all we really want in life, right? To have a story. To make a story. To follow our instincts and affect and learn from others as we do it. And ultimately to simply be happy while everything unfolds.
There's something very therapeutic and empowering about creating your story. Taking something incredibly disheartening or embarrassing and looking at it in a light-hearted way. Receiving a threatening note on the windshield of your car or giving a man a facial massage or scraping your arse on the shower faucet.
And then there's the joy in recognizing and reflecting on something so uplifting and life-changing yet unassuming as a chance meeting or a missed opportunity. Making a community around you, laughing and thinking and piecing threads together until it all starts to look like something colorful.
I like my story. I certainly like the way it's heading. And things aren't always perfect here in Jennytown. But I don't tell my story just for the sake of telling it. And certainly not so it can be a comedy, or a romance, or a dramatic life-changing self-discovering journey. But rather just that--- a story. There's something quite beautiful about that. Having a story. And sharing it with someone.
Ahem. Allow me to just step down off of here for a second.
I've been good. And man, was that weekend good! Watching Christmas movies, eating chocolate crinkle cookies and popcorn, watching football...
Sigh. The calm before the storm.
Thank goodness for little Sundays. I needed one. I'm pooped from this past week. I spent yesterday shopping at the Americana in Glendale, picking up some Christmas presents here and there and adding to my growing professional working woman attire. I am now the proud owner of three very sassy, fitted blazers.
Oh yeah, it's all coming together.
We've got a big week coming up for us at the SAG Awards! Nominations are announced Wednesday morning. And really, I wouldn't be a very good publicity assistant if I didn't plug the show, now would I? TNT, December 14th, Wednesday morning 9 am ET / 6 am PT. Judy Greer and Regina King will be announcing the nominations. I can't wait. We've got some busy days ahead of us!
Here's a link to a little promotional video I made for the nominations! You can see all the fabulously talented people I get to work with everyday. There are some real characters in our office. I adore them.
http://www.youtube.com/user/
So yes, I've been busy. I love what I do though, so that's good. My week has also been full of friends, too.
Monday night after work Jackie and Nikolai went to see our friend Bobby's show at M Bar in Hollywood. The show was a collection of scenes from various plays and was titled, "Love, Sex, and Other Crimes"--- the other crime, I'm assuming, was putting on a show that was anything but ready to be performed in front of an audience.
First of all, it was $15 to get in, which was fine, except there was also a $10 minimum per person for drinks. Luckily the show called for drinking. The show was hilarious, and no, it was not a comedy. There is nothing that makes me feel more alive than trying to suppress uncontrollable laughter. Whether it be in church, in a scene, or in this case, attending a really bad play, there's something so human about trying not to laugh. For this reason, I shall never become a vampire. I would rather have a lifetime of trying not to bust up laughing as a silly human than be a handsome sparkly immortal.
Yes, I am bitter that I still have not seen the new Twilight movie.
Judge me, I dare you.
Bobby was fantastic though, of course! Though we might be a little impartial; we love him.
Tuesday night was the one night of the week when I didn't have plans. (Well, I did have plans to go to Fox & Hounds but everyone pooped out). So what did I do with my evening? Just what any hot-blooded, single girl in the big city would do...
I cleaned out the shelves under my sink, of course!
I know. I don't know what's wrong with me. But really though, look how organized that is. Sometimes I just open the cabinet doors so I can admire my systemizing prowess. I'm slowly making my way through cleaning and organizing my life. Next up? Many of you, (my dear friends especially) will be pleased to learn that my car is next on the list. It currently looks like I am living in my car. And actually, I probably could if I wanted to.
Here are some items currently in my silly little Jimmy:
- Two apples that roll around every time I stop or accelerate
- Various sizes of microwavable cooking bowls
- Roughly sixty cds (and a Monster cable for my iPod that is only good for very staticy renditions of my music)
- A boogie board
- A full-size oldschool television
- A blow-up mattress
- A cookie dough scented candle that melted all over my middle console (note to self: even though you're not in Tucson, cars still get hot)
- A U of A flag that attaches to my car window
- A bag of shoes
- Two yoga mats
- A basket full of cookie cutters
- A can of split pea soup. I don't even like split pea soup. It's origins are a mystery.
Breaking into my car would be like hitting the thrift store jackpot.
I know, I'm a car item hoarder. Like I said, it's on my list.
I spent all day Saturday hanging out with Kathleen, the assistant director at Camp Bravo, training to become the newest 'tour guide' for Bravo Student Travel! It's only a very part time gig--- once a month on the weekends. I was just training yesterday and I'll get my first tour in February some time (so, PHEW, after the Awards!)
I had the best time. It's not so much being a tour guide as it is being a trip coordinator. The trips are all personalized for each high school and usually revolve around Hollywood-related activities. They meet with casting directors for a workshop, they learn some improv, visit CityWalk in Universal Studios, see shows, and walk up and down Hollywood Boulevard.
I am well-acquainted with these trips, having gone on three myself with my drama class in high school. Kathleen was our tour guide every year, which is actually how I learned about Camp Bravo in the first place! It was all too familiar to me. After we got the kids set up in their classes, Kathleen and I enjoyed some coffee and hours and hours of catching up.
Kathleen and I are incredibly similar. First of all we look very similar. Kathleen is like a taller goddess-like version of myself. She's the Audi to my Volkswagen. We also have very similar opinions and reactions to things, along with a very like-minded leadership style when it comes to working with kids and peers. And if that wasn't enough, we also just learned that we have the same middle name. That may not seem very weird, but it is for us.
Michele. With one 'l'. I've met just a couple Michele's in my life, and certainly no one with Michele as their middle name. Not that interesting--- but incredibly thrilling for us. It's the little things in life, ya'll.
We shared some lunch at CityWalk and then led the group to a matinee of Wicked! I hadn't seen the show since I was a high school student on the tour myself, which was so odd. I just love that show. It was Kathleen's eleventh time seeing the show. I suppose I should prepare myself for that if I'm going to be doing this for a while! Done. Prepared.
I left the tour early in the evening to jet over to Bang Comedy Theatre for the opening night of the Femmetastiks! And boy oh boy, was it ever femmetastik. We are a funny group of ladies. Ezra was the only person who had ever seen the show so we were so excited to get some audience reaction. It was such a great crowd--- especially because I had some dear friends there, too! Rachel, Nikolai, his friend Daniel, Bennett, Lorelei, and more! So fun to catch up with humans that I don't work with every day. I miss Bang a lot and it's always so fun to see the family that took me in so willingly when I first moved to LA.
For realz though, if you missed the Femmestastiks, you still have another chance this coming Saturday at 9:30 pm! Trust me, it's hilarious. And I'll give you a hug if you come.
After the show Nikolai, Daniel, and Rachel and I headed across the street to get some drinks at Rosewood Tavern. We sat at the big wooden communal table, had some seasonal beers and steak fries, and lingered until last call. Such a fun evening! Nothing quite like good conversation and yummy beers to make a girl smile.
Speaking of making girls smile, I watched "The Iron Lady" last night with Meryl Streep. It was incredible. She plays Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of Great Britain--- and the first female to lead a nation. I sometimes forget how far women have come in the world. And so recently, too! As exhausted as I was I was glued to the story. Women are quite incredible creatures, really. We have the capability to be kind, reasonable, sympathetic, yet strong and determined at the same time. Take some time to appreciate the women around you and all they are capable of. It's pretty darn femmetastik.
Ahh... here we go again... Monday morning! What an adventure.
I hope you all have a great start to the week. Here's to sleep and happiness and hoping that we all have plenty of it. Cheers!
(and kisses.)
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