long bob lob

Today is my one year anniversary with Los Angeles.

...

How did that happen!? Part of me feels like it went by so fast and the other part is thinking... "dear God, it's only been a year?!"

Woof. 

It's been one of the greatest years of my life, that's for certain. Truly being out on your own in the world is the most delicious feeling. Not owing anything to anyone--- just doing what feels right and making yourself proud. And hey, I am certainly proud of myself. 

I came out here, lived on a couch in West-Hollywood for two months, got my first apartment in Studio City, interned with a fabulous comedy theatre and made lifetime friends and "friend-tors", became the assistant director (Über) at the best darn theatre summer camp in the world and was lucky enough to travel to different states and high schools to tell everyone about it, joined an all-female sketch group with some delightfully hilarious women, fell a little bit in love, helped consolidate loan debt for the silliest job I have EVER worked, got my teenage-dream-job at LUSH and pampered myself with yummy products and sweet ladyfriends, went to my first NFL game, made it onto the most RIDICULOUS musical chairs game show ever with one of my best friends, wrote dating advice for a relationship website, helped pull together a successful social media campaign for the SAG Awards AND got to experience all of the glamour of the red carpet and live show and after party, and have now successfully landed my very first real job on salary that I love. 

It's been a great year and I am a lucky girl. I've got lots of big plans for the next LA chapter... Among some---

• Run a half marathon ("Wait a second... didn't she say she was going to do this last year?" Yes yes, I did. but I was a little preoccupied... or some other grumbly excuse)
• Help with development on new projects with producers at work
• Go all interior-designer-crazy on my apartment
• Start saving for a newer-used-not-stick-shift-car (my left leg has about 48% more muscle density thanks to my clutching up and down the Hollywood hills all the time)
• Visit my sister in BOSTON!
• Audition for Groundlings--- start taking classes
• Pull together my first stand-up set
• Go sailing
• Visit wine country

...Alright, now I'm just throwing random things in. But you get the picture. And of course, I plan on continuing all my other silly little loves and favorites along the way (laser tag, popcorn, San Francisco, Frasier the cat, the list goes on). 

So anyways, LA! I live here, you guys. Just last night after a very hot date seeing Moonrise Kingdom (with my mom), I was driving back through Hollywood on the 101 in disbelief that this is home. It's been very bizarre realizing I am staying in LA. I'm so used to moving around all of the time and switching jobs, etc. and now I've hit that adult point where I'm supposed to start settling down a bit. 

WHOA there! I don't mean settling down. I just mean this is when you stay in jobs longer and build little adult-friend communities. My roots are now a little less nomadic than usual. I still want to live in NYC and San Francisco before all that settling nonsense shows up so don't worry. I'm still up for a few good years of wild adventuring. (Though I fully plan on lifelong traveling and adventures. Hopefully just with a handsome old man who likes to dance by my side). (P.S. He'll only be old because I, too, will be old. Just to straighten that out). 

Just as a heads up, I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to keep writing frequently on this blog or not. I've been spending my free time reading these days instead of writing. But we'll see. I don't like making writing rules, so I just write whatever and whenever I feel like it. Which I realize isn't very fun for avid blog readers (like myself). No one likes a flighty blog writer. I may pop in every now and then to fill you in on dumb stories.

Speaking of dumb stories... who wants to hear how I fried my hair?

Yup. You do. 

I'll say it -- I have some free time at work from time to time. Sometimes I spend it catching up on emails, reading books on my handy dandy iPad, browsing through my favorite blogs... and sometimes--- sometimes I watch hair how-to videos.

For those of you who are familiar with my hair you know that a) it's never been colored b) it's very fair and c) it's very long and flowy. Or was.

In my daily blog perusal, I stopped by Gwyneth Paltrow's website GOOP and watched a video that outlined how to do your own "blowout" on your hair. Now, I realize that my hair is already straight as can be. I was just hoping for a little more glamorous OOMPH and volume.

So Friday morning after my cycling class, I washed my hair like normal and put plenty of mousse and heat protectant spray in it. Then I sectioned it off and while it was still very damp, started blowdrying the crap out of it. I was using the same brush I always use and snapped the adaptor onto the hair dryer. This is when the smoke started--- or what I thought was steam. I mean... it didn't smell like burning hair... just burning product, like what all salons smell like. And boy was I getting a lot of volume! It looked pretty great. Until I got to work... and realized that the ends of my hair smelled like Nair and were completely crispy. That night when I showered bits of my hair were breaking off into my hands. I was horrified.

Horrified and smelly. And sad. I've got at least two inches that have got to go and I am not happy about it. Hmph.

My hair appointment is on Friday. I'm hoping I can keep it as long as possible but at this point it isn't looking good. My hair currently goes more than halfway down my back and I'm thinking my new 'do may be just below my shoulder-- just to make everything look fresh and healthy. I'm warming up to the idea now. I could use a new look. And hey-- I like being different. Here's what I'm thinking:

Apparently this is called a 'lob' or a long bob. Which of course made me chuckle when I was searching "long bob lob", for any Arrested Development fans out there. Friday can't come soon enough... I'll post an updated hair pic later. (...I'm sure you're all sitting on the edge of your seats). Bye long hair!

(this was taken in January, too. So you can imagine how long it is now. Obviously all this hair business is incredibly important to me...blahblahblah)

In other news, I literally have the most epic story of all time... ANDDDD I can't tell you anything about it. It's been killing me. I can say that I will be on national television though. And that it will be the most ridiculous thing you have ever seen. It was one of the most amazing days of my life. ...And I promise I'll tell you when it's time to tune in! It's good. Trust me. 

Becca (my roommate) just got this crazy great job in Santa Rosa! She's actually going to be moving out in less than two weeks... so my dear friend Dan has moved in to our humble little living room for his summer internships in LA. Dan and I have known each other five years now thanks to the Charles Darwin Experience at the University of Arizona. After years of performing with each other we are now braving the land of roommate-ship. It's been an easy transition though-- kind of like living with a brother. Dan will take over the lease for Becca for the rest of the summer after she moves out! Lots of changes happening. I've also really been trying to make the place look chic, too, now that I know I'm staying put. Lots of IKEA shopping and Etsy-artwork-ordering going on!

This weekend I'm heading back to the Rose Bowl Flea Market to grab a couple more things for the apartment. My best friend Alison and my second mama Connie will be visiting! I'm incredibly excited. I love when family comes to you.

So that's what I'm up to! Just a quick little update... Thanks for reading along over the last year!

And thanks LA for giving me quite the love/hate relationship. My favorite.

Kisses.