10 years ago today I moved to Los Angeles.

And what a mighty good leap of faith it was for me to leave my beloved NYC and move to a city (that's really more like a spread out town, let's be honest) where I didn't know a single soul, hadn't driven a car since I was in high school, and kept my apartment subleased in NYC for 2 years just in case I would decide to run back home to Manhattan.

Seems like it's only maybe been about 5 years, due mostly to the fact that we don't have actual seasons here, but it's a TRIP to look back to this day 10 years ago: got off the plane and picked up my rent-a-wreck with a hole in the floor, drove to west hollywood, was slack-jawked to find grass and lemon trees in my backyard, walked down the street in search of a deli, only to be catcalled and, thus, immediately learn folks don't really walk in LA,and there are NO delis. I got invited that night by my a stranger (new roommate, who I'm pretty sure was on meth or something) to go to a party in Silver Lake, where I met my first friend who would soon be the person to show me how awesome Los Feliz is….. 

I could go on but ya'll have your Saturday to tend to and so do I.

Be on the lookout very soon for the launch of my Indiegogo Campaign to fund the FIRST comedy series, THE BAR, by my production company, BLESS HER HEART PRODUCTIONS!! 

….and Go see my film in September, Behaving Badly , where I flirt with Patrick Warburton, get slapped by Elisabeth Shue, and host Heather Graham's night club!

 …and GO take a big ole chance this week in the spirit of my Lalaland anniversary!!!!

xoxo

Felicity on my mind.

So this intensely emotional couple of weeks have probably lead to why I have been watching reruns of Felicity, in order from the pilot. And it's like a hug on the inside. A big bear hug.
The music, the dialogue, I remember it all and I remember where I was when I was experiencing most episodes. Judge if you will, but this comfort also reminds me of the power of good writing in television.
20 year old me felt comforted and invested, just as I do now.
Along with these actors, time has passed, but I am damn grateful for my easy ability to fall back in to this whole time in my life. And though I'm basically the same Jennifer, I have lived that much more.

Exciting news about working in NY in January…so damn excited….and other things worth mentioning are happening, and in all of this,  I have to remember to care for my insides…because I take everything and everyone's junk on. And at times it can be too much, so in the end I am thankful for the intelligent and kind friends I have in my life at this very moment. I admire and love you.

And thanks Felicity, Noel, Ben, Julie, Megan, Pink Guy...
xJ

Lincoln…and my desire for more charming parables to come.

YES, I was one of the lucky few, as a member of the  SAG awards nom committee, who was invited to partake in an advanced screening of Lincoln! (much anticipated for on my part).
I am happy to report that it satiated my inner/outer history geek, and very possibly threw a coupla torches on the fire.
Daniel Day Lewis spoke with us after…magical. (yep, I said "magical" because I felt it was a fucking gift).
I woke up at about 6:30am today still thinking of Lincoln. I hit my imdbpro app, as I do often when I cannot sleep, and then looked at pictures of my sweet nephew Luke (which is also seemingly a thing I do when I cannot sleep)….
I craved more knowledge about Lincoln's cabinet.

Damn, it was cold in my home and I LOVED it.
About time. Only a minute until Thanksgiving, after all.
We lit the first fire of the season, I made tea AND coffee and wrapped myself in my grandmama's quilt and curled up next to the fire.
Studied for an upcoming audition, called my mama, laughed with new friends visiting, and mostly felt serenely wrapped in gratitude.

Tomorrow is a special screening of Skyfall. Ah, James Bond with a Heineken (of all things. The hell?!?!)
 I am so very happy…I suppose working on a new sitcom with actors I deem to be crazy funny/fun to work with can leave me experiencing a high for a few days to come. And then some.It is where I am meant to be.
xoxJennifer

Honey Boo Boo has a Loving Family and other strange social truths.

Tonight is the night before I fly out of Atlanta, which means leaving my 18 month old nephew, (Luke-who I am obsessed with)-- and thereby leaving my sis (my best friend and soul mate) and fun brother in law, and thus the South as a whole (friendly people, down to earthiness, and friendly accents) --well…what's it for exactly?
I am well aware that I've felt the pains of separation anxiety that leave me in tears and funk for a solid 2 or 3 days post family trips, however, this time around: why not?
First I think well, um HELLO JENNIFER: ya can't possibly pursue acting in any other place in the states but NYC and LA. (truth.) Let me share my thoughts even further with examples outside of myself who leave me questioning WHY the hell NOT?
Or perhaps I should state my idea of my life and who I desire to be:
I see myself surrounded by great love of family and friends who support me and I support them. I see mutual creativity and openness in thought; health and joy; financial abundance; lightness, living in NYC and LA.
It is easy but always compelling.
Humanitarian.
Travel. Everywhere. Open.
Newness, simple or grand.
Films.
Reading.
Working consistently on projects that excite me and bring to light my strengths, while challenging me  out of my own comfort zones.

AND THEN THIS COMES INTO MY MIND:
I know an extremely successful actress in a sitcom, making a few million, who is utterly miserable and alone. And has told me so. Many times. And I see it.

I also know (and care for) an entrepreneur who is deemed quite successful but is entirely unable to relate on an emotional level with another human except to criticize. He can't stop for a moment on the treadmill of his day to day--filling up his calendar with unnecessary stops, for fear he will feel any sort of pain.

I have another friend who has multiple successes career wise but she can't even see it or feel it, and deems most of them as failures. And is heading to a second divorce.

Another friend who has tremendous financial success in his own right,  but I only ever hear him describe himself as a "failed actor". He has more friends than most can count, but he's still 'meh' about life.

Before the two or three people who read my blog get worried---none of them even read this, and ya know what---if they did, then it could be a disarmingly good hint! :)

Because in LA, don't get me wrong, I have a real nice life, many happy moments and damn good experiences there, I do find myself getting worked up by so many flakey friends,
and silly girls who think they can suddenly take an acting class or two and call themselves actors.
This is gross to me. YUCK. EEK.
As Jimmy Kimmel said last night on the Emmy's : " The Brits trained at RADA and most americans were picked from the mall. "
Sad but true.

I'm a trained actor, from an actual conservatory,  so if the rest of ya'll could just fall back to middle america or wherever the place is where your parents will catch you then just go. to. there. Ah mediocrity. Go yonder. Waaaay yonder.

Got that out. That segway aside, I have made my point.

….And I still think of the one boy I fell in love with in lalaland a few years back, who was my best friend. We were together for a few years. We had a family. Of sorts. That part still sticks with me as something palpable.

Sometimes I feel like I'm flailing when I look into my nephew's eyes and I think:

WHY THE HELL NOT.

Performing the magic tonight!

Awesome mention in the ADVOCATE today!

http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/hot-sheet/2012/08/17/hot-sheet-august-17-2012?page=0,5

Youtube comments make me giggle loudly.

• Randomly came across this--re: Munchie Mobile/Jack in the Box Spot.

  Think I found my husband.

  
  

  
  

  craazy good. I would put my errr in her arhh.

  zer02oo5 4 months ago

I can feel it in my bones….

I miss the south. I need a good, honest to god real life vacation.
I don't honestly know the last time I had one. At all.
Sidebar: what even made me wanna write this: I can hear my neighbors playing bean bag toss right below my window. They are a young-ish boyfriend/girlfriend couple who now live in what was once a good friend of mine's place. They are not want to be very friendly, which confuses me, and also reminds me of how I miss the south. They are in no way southerners, as this would not in fact occur if they were.
When my ex lived here with me, we invited everyone over for any sort of social gathering that involved more than the 2 of us. There must be at least 30 people over at their place, and they're mostly collected in the driveway.
I may sound like a hostile, crotchety ole neighbor, but this is simply an example of weird human behavior I've been witnessing first hand quite often this past week in particular.

Another sidebar: 3 of my favorite bands are all playing at Atlanta Midtown Music Festival. Best present ever--putting this out to the universe--would be 2 VIP tickets to the event. Better yet, me being able to buy a group of my friends I grew up with--who I share this history/love of these bands with--to be able to get a couple of them the tickets as well. It's happening in September…and I can't wait.
Ya only have this one life and my how it passes so fast.
Jennifer