A decade!

Pic of the Week

I went paddle boarding yesterday because it was 80 degrees and, though you can't see him very well, I ran into a giant bull harbor seal.  I didn't want to get much closer because I'm all about not disturbing animals and what not.  

What's going on?

Can't believe I forgot to write about this last week, but I have now officially been in Los Angeles for 10 years!  10!!!  That is bananas to me.  I don't know what I imagined long-term when moving to LA, but the last 10 years has certainly been an adventure.  😂 I have never lived anywhere longer.  Consecutively, at least.  Technically I lived in Salt Lake for 11 years, but that was split between two very different times in my life. And what a decade it's been.  In the last ten years I:

Lived in 4 different apartments with 7 different roommates.

Bought a scooter.

Put nearly 70,000 miles on that scooter.

Was on 3 TV shows.

Was in 14 commercials, that I remember.

Worked 14 part-time jobs, that I remember.

Auditioned for hundreds of projects.

Had 4 different primary care physicians.

Crashed my scooter twice.

Broke one bone.

Worked with a Goonie.

Lost my mom.

Learned to paddle board.

Discovered SO MANY places to get a good cookie.

Gained 25 pounds.

Stopped going to church.

Visited 9 countries outside the US.

Rode the world's largest rope swing.

Rode a boat on the Nile.

Rode a camel around the pyramids.

Watched flamenco dancers in Spain.

Pet a tiger.

Swam in the Indian Ocean.

Saw the sun rise over Machu Picchu.

Lived through a pandemic.

Landed and shortly thereafter lost the job of my dreams.

Toured to 9 states with Story Pirates.

Built furniture.

Voted in 3 presidential elections.

Created and performed a show with the Utah Symphony.

Watched Elton John in a private concert in a random back yard in Beverly Hills.

Bought a Movie Pass and milked it for all it was worth before the company went belly-up.

Volunteered with 6 different non-profit organizations.

Got SO MANY gray hairs.

Grew a handle-bar mustache.

Discovered that I do not like coffee.

Slept in a hammock for 5 years.

Had 8 birthday beach bonfires (I think).

Had my first root canal.

Ran a half marathon.

Got into house plants.

Had three sets of head shots.

Got two celebrity phone numbers (Elizabeth Berkeley, and Don Swayze).

Sold my condo.

Established some new traditions.

Pretty much continuously had an annual pass to Disneyland.

Performed in 5 plays.

Joined the Screen Actors Guild.

Entered my 30s.

Got into podcasts.

Made a bunch of friends.

Built a life.

And oh so very much more.  

Only other event of note this week is that I got vaccinated!  I technically work for the UCLA medical school (in one of those numerous part-time jobs I have) and somehow that got me in line, and who am I to say no?

What I'm watching

This was VERY good, but not for the faint of heart.  There's a twist ending, and the film doesn't go in the direction you think it will, and they don't pull any punches, but I think it's going to start some important conversations.  

What I'm listening to

Jameela Jamil is a POWERHOUSE and I cannot get enough of her.  Even though I hate her just a little bit because she's one of those people who just sort of feel into a successful acting career with essentially no pavement pounding.  She decided to move to US from London for a change of scenery and her very first audition in LA was for The Good Place.  Regardless, she is changing the world.  I highly recommend following her on Instagram if you're not already.  Anyway, her podcast deals with body image issues, diet culture, societal expectations etc.  This week's episode is with Celeste Barber who has one of the funniest Instagram accounts around.  She parodies photos and videos of models.  Language warning for this one.  Regardless, it's worth a listen.