Wow, I'd like to apologize now for severely neglecting my blog the last few weeks. To my defense, I've been quite busy (mostly self-inflicted business since I haven't been employed since about March) the whole time. Three of those weeks I spent in a perpetual finals week stress mode called EMT school, and another three I spent backpacking through Europe with my sister (a decent college/EMT graduation present to myself if you ask me). Now that I'm back, I'm trying rapidly to figure out a plan to pay rent before my summer slips away and I have to pack up my life and transport it to Washington DC for PA school. If you have any creative job suggestions, please feel free to leave them here in my virtual suggestion box.
So now that you're pretty much caught up on my life, time to think of something typically LA to post about... Hey at least I'm sparing you the play-by-play of my European adventures. Sometimes I feel like people tend not to really want to hear all about Europe unless they've already been there and can hold up their end of the conversation with anecdotes about British humor or Hungarian goulash, in which case my story is really just another permutation of their own trip and writing about it for their sake would be redundant. This is at least how I felt before I made my own European memories. So I guess if you really truly want to know, ask me.
My upcoming travel plans are in country, but not in California... and yet in a way are uniquely LA just because so many of us Los Angeleans make the pilgrimage to this desert oasis every weekend. Where is this rite of passage mecca? Vegas, duh.
Vegas holds a special place in my heart. Even way before I was of legal drinking age, my family would plan vacations to the city of lights and my cousins and I would wander "lost" in the casinos for hours while secretly searching every slot machine for forgotten change. I'm still bitter that they recently converted all their machines so that they no longer dispense coins with that loud, clanking, let-everyone-near-know-you're-a-winner-even-if-its-only-dropping-nickels sound, but instead feed you an anticlimactic slip of paper with your final tally which you then have to turn in for real cash. Anyway, we probably came out more ahead by the end of the trip than any of the adults... Unless of course we blew it all at the arcade games at Circus Circus.
I once worried that Vegas would loose its charm once I grew up and out of the magic stores and water slides... but boy was I wrong. When you turn 21, this entire world you didn't know existed previously just appears out of nowhere on the four mile stretch that is the strip. I've been three times since that momentous birthday. Each trip was unique, memorable, and to put it in more realistic terms, a total shitshow. This time I'm going with a few of my favorite people on the planet for what feels to me kind of like a last hurrah, since we may not get a chance to all be together like this for quite a while. I'm stoked.
The other ironic thing about Vegas is that I don't even gamble! Ok, maybe I'll spend $5 on slots or $20 at the blackjack tables, but in Vegas terms, thats nothing. Mostly, I go for the free pirate shows at TI, the poolside lounging with Fat Tuesdays in tow, sightseeing at the next big hotel (there's always a new one), seeing just how many people we can fit into a double room, buffets, watching the corny marble statue show at Caesar's, hitting up awesome clubs, looking out for awesomely ridiculous outfits, and maybe even catching the latest Cirque du Soleil show... if there's time. Like I said, its hard to run out of things to do here. Once I even managed to stay up long enough to watch the sun rise.
Well, since I don't plan on watching the sun rise today, I'd better head to bed. Maybe I'll go pick out my heels for Saturday night first...
Monday, May 18, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
FML
Today at work I got a phone call from the casting company I signed up with a few months back. THEY actually called ME. Normally, you have to call they're hotline everyday hoping to hear about a show that you fit the profile for and that fits in your schedule, then call another line and wait on hold for eternity until a casting director MAYBE feels like answering. Still you have to make their cut and they may turn you down on the spot. But today, they called me. And I blew it.
When I answered I was still in shock that I was even speaking to a casting director. Then she told me they needed someone for a Saturday night filming for the 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' movie. I guess I fit the 18 to look younger profile well enough. I'd actually heard about this job before, but didn't think it applied to me. Then she told me it was for a SAG voucher, which translates to pay equivalent to a union member (higher compared to my menial non-union member wages). These are rarely given out because their union member extra quota usually gets filled.
So what did I say? I said 'sorry, I'm not available that day'. Not, 'can you tell me the hours and I'll get back to you' or 'are there any other days it might be filming?'. No, that would be too logical. I didn't even get the lady's name or number so I could call her if I changed my mind. All I could think of was the fact that I'll be in San Diego that weekend for my dads birthday (I know... how can I be even considering ditching his birthday!?) . But we're celebrating on Friday night, we don't even have plans for Saturday night yet. Bye bye last opportunity to experience the film industry. FML.
When I answered I was still in shock that I was even speaking to a casting director. Then she told me they needed someone for a Saturday night filming for the 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' movie. I guess I fit the 18 to look younger profile well enough. I'd actually heard about this job before, but didn't think it applied to me. Then she told me it was for a SAG voucher, which translates to pay equivalent to a union member (higher compared to my menial non-union member wages). These are rarely given out because their union member extra quota usually gets filled.
So what did I say? I said 'sorry, I'm not available that day'. Not, 'can you tell me the hours and I'll get back to you' or 'are there any other days it might be filming?'. No, that would be too logical. I didn't even get the lady's name or number so I could call her if I changed my mind. All I could think of was the fact that I'll be in San Diego that weekend for my dads birthday (I know... how can I be even considering ditching his birthday!?) . But we're celebrating on Friday night, we don't even have plans for Saturday night yet. Bye bye last opportunity to experience the film industry. FML.
Monday, March 16, 2009
the green post (for real this time)
I don't know about the rest world, but in this city, eco-friendliness is starting to gain a pretty solid fan base. You used to be branded as a hippie if you loved the earth, but nowadays, we instead scorn those who haul their shopping bags home in a hummer. I've gotten caught up in this environmental fad as well. Though I don't think 'fad' is the right word, as it implies a gradual phasing out once the next big hit comes along. If this is the case, I sure hope its not a fad, because it has some pretty important and positive consequences.
Looking back on the past few years, I've noticed a series of adjustments to my everyday life that have made me more ecologically friendly. Sometimes it seems difficult to suddenly switch over to a new lifestyle in the name of saving the environment. But when you make many small adjustments over time, it is a little easier and you still get the payoff... just a little further down the road. At the same time each new thing your incorporate into your everyday routine is also easier to maintain in the long run. In honor of Mary Anne and St. Patty's Day, here's a list of the ways I've gone (and am still attempting) to go green:
1) Recycle. Since I moved into my first apartment which came with its own separate recyclable trash can (conveniently left by the former tenants), I can't even imagine not having an extra container for our recyclables.
2) Travel Mug. A few months ago, I had a bad habit of coming to work in the morning and either stopping at Coffee Bean along the way for my favorite Cafe Vanilla, or forfeiting my dollar bills to the downstairs coffee vending machine. Both methods added up fast and contributed to needless paper waste. Finally, I vowed to learn how to use the coffee pot in our apartment which was most certainly feeling lonely and ignored. I bought a huge can of coffee from Costco for less than $10 and some yummy vanilla creamer, and started making my own coffee to bring to work in my bright yellow UCLA mug (trendy and spirited!).
3) Bundle up vs. use the heater. So this last winter, we didn't quite realize how cold our apartment could get in the evenings, even in LA. As a result, it took us a while to finally call the gas company to light our heater's pilot light. We were also afraid that the kittens (much smaller back then) would do something stupid. Good news is we saved lots of money by piling on blankets and donning sweatpants in the evening since we couldn't turn on the heat with a flick of a switch. Sometimes laziness pays off!
4) Paper or plastic? neither. Though I'll admit I don't always remember to bring them (or enough of them), I make an effort to use my own fabric grocery bags when shopping. Between my roomies and I, we have about twenty of them hanging up in our kitchen. They're definitely sturdier than the plastic option when it comes to lugging home the heavy stuff, and some even fold up nicely and fit in my purse... granted my purses are generally quite spacious.
5) Public transportation. I can't believe I almost forgot this one! Getting to and from work is a much more exciting adventure now that I take the bus. I can listen to my ipod, read a book, or just zone out and watch the city pass by on my way to campus. Its ten times better than spending money on gas, parking, and loosing my sanity to insane drivers. Oh yeah, and I don't polute the city. It's the ultimate carpool.
There are a few more things on my 'how to be green' list, but I don't think I've quite yet mastered them. They fit better on my 'ways I'd like to be green' list. Habits like remembering to turn off lights I'm not using, or taking shorter showers (I get a big fat fail in this category) would be good additions to my lifestyle, but are defintely a work in progress. Hopefully I'll be able to add those to a green post next St. Patty's Day!
Looking back on the past few years, I've noticed a series of adjustments to my everyday life that have made me more ecologically friendly. Sometimes it seems difficult to suddenly switch over to a new lifestyle in the name of saving the environment. But when you make many small adjustments over time, it is a little easier and you still get the payoff... just a little further down the road. At the same time each new thing your incorporate into your everyday routine is also easier to maintain in the long run. In honor of Mary Anne and St. Patty's Day, here's a list of the ways I've gone (and am still attempting) to go green:
1) Recycle. Since I moved into my first apartment which came with its own separate recyclable trash can (conveniently left by the former tenants), I can't even imagine not having an extra container for our recyclables.
2) Travel Mug. A few months ago, I had a bad habit of coming to work in the morning and either stopping at Coffee Bean along the way for my favorite Cafe Vanilla, or forfeiting my dollar bills to the downstairs coffee vending machine. Both methods added up fast and contributed to needless paper waste. Finally, I vowed to learn how to use the coffee pot in our apartment which was most certainly feeling lonely and ignored. I bought a huge can of coffee from Costco for less than $10 and some yummy vanilla creamer, and started making my own coffee to bring to work in my bright yellow UCLA mug (trendy and spirited!).
3) Bundle up vs. use the heater. So this last winter, we didn't quite realize how cold our apartment could get in the evenings, even in LA. As a result, it took us a while to finally call the gas company to light our heater's pilot light. We were also afraid that the kittens (much smaller back then) would do something stupid. Good news is we saved lots of money by piling on blankets and donning sweatpants in the evening since we couldn't turn on the heat with a flick of a switch. Sometimes laziness pays off!
4) Paper or plastic? neither. Though I'll admit I don't always remember to bring them (or enough of them), I make an effort to use my own fabric grocery bags when shopping. Between my roomies and I, we have about twenty of them hanging up in our kitchen. They're definitely sturdier than the plastic option when it comes to lugging home the heavy stuff, and some even fold up nicely and fit in my purse... granted my purses are generally quite spacious.
5) Public transportation. I can't believe I almost forgot this one! Getting to and from work is a much more exciting adventure now that I take the bus. I can listen to my ipod, read a book, or just zone out and watch the city pass by on my way to campus. Its ten times better than spending money on gas, parking, and loosing my sanity to insane drivers. Oh yeah, and I don't polute the city. It's the ultimate carpool.
There are a few more things on my 'how to be green' list, but I don't think I've quite yet mastered them. They fit better on my 'ways I'd like to be green' list. Habits like remembering to turn off lights I'm not using, or taking shorter showers (I get a big fat fail in this category) would be good additions to my lifestyle, but are defintely a work in progress. Hopefully I'll be able to add those to a green post next St. Patty's Day!
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