Money on the Mind

I'm not ready to talk about the work situation yet, which sucks because it makes me not want to talk to people that much. While the situation is no longer DIRE... it still mostly is...

Are we sure that flossing doesn't actually HURT your teeth? In a half-effort to compensate for probably never having dental coverage again, I started flossing everyday (in addition to the brushing and mouth washing-- I'm seemingly dental-tastic right now), but now I feel like my teeth hurt all the time. Lame.

I can't wait to have SOME money again. Today I spent money buying stuff to clean my bathroom and almost cried at the $12-ish bill. Also, I have to pay about $10 for gas every two days, which blows. ALTHOUGH Natalya informed me that she is paying $3 each way for the train in San Francisco so... there is really no getting around the high cost of commuting. Money sucks. I ALMOST spontaneously moved to San Francisco in an effort to save some money (long story), but for now it's not happening. But LUCKILY, no matter how tricky the situation gets, it's going to be cheaper for me to stay in California than it would be to beg my parents to let me go back home for a while... so that's good news.

All I think about is money so... let's press on to more money concerns:

1. I am very worried about my vehicle. I'm pretty sure that it is overdue for a checkup and since it was made in 1996, I'm concerned that it can't sail past a few checkups relying on it's youth to save it (the way that I am with my own health-- totally not worried even though everything I learned in health care sociology tells me that it's socially immoral to let your health go. That's right, I'm actually screwing the community).

1b. I also need to change my oil. Although I THINK it will be okay because I have about 50 miles to go until the 3000 mile mark, but I'm pretty sure you can wait until 4000 miles.

1c. Apparently you are supposed to get a smog check after 3 months of being in CA... but... I'm not going to concern myself with that yet, obviously. Bigger fish to fry (mmmm fried fish!).

I guess those are the only pertinent money problems, although I really want my netflix back, which I KNOW isn't a priority, but I just looked through my movies and I've watched nearly ALL of them in... a VERY short period of time. I also read book 6 and 7 of Harry Potter (inevitable) and Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk (good. Dark.) Now I'm reading Bridget Jones's Diary again because I'm on a reading role and I don't want to spoil it by starting LOTR and getting bored with all the description. I looked in to getting a library card, but I'm not sure I have a valid proof of address since the last mail I got was in July (when I figured out how to get my bank statements electronically) and my checks don't have my address on them (mystery).

In television news, True Blood ended last week which was a bummer but.. I think I'll survive. Especially since I've still got Weeds (Nancy is actually selling again, which is gold) AAAAAND The Office, 30 Rock, Parenthood and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia started again. I'll definitely survive. I also want to start watching The Event because of my commitment to Jason Ritter, although it doesn't seem like the kind of show I'd be drawn to. Plus, it would be prudent for me to watch Hellcats and Castle since my management company has an interest in them. We'll see. That's a lot of shows to be committed to.

Fortunately, no movies that peek my interest are out right now... except that Kiera Knightly one... and Easy A looks pretty cute. I wonder if it will be a great success and cause Amanda Bynes to rethink her retirement.

That is all. I expect to feel more positive in a week and a half (arbitrary time frame).

My Vacation--Can't Complain Even Though I'd Rather Work

Finished American On Purpose by Craig Ferguson. It was lovely, although I'm not sure I know anyone else as fascinated by Craig whom I could recommend the book to.

More importantly, Kevin finished the last Harry Potter book and he appreciated it and the rest of the series as much as he should, which is a great deal (HUGE understatement).

This weekend has been an absolute vacation. I'm housesitting for food in at a place in Beverly Hills. Benefits include 2 AMAZING (both in beauty and kindness) husky dogs to hang out with, a swimming pool that is consistently the perfect temperature, a jacuzzi (a little hot... but it's supposed to be obviously), and multiple televisions with cable and netflix instant watch. I'm in absolute heaven. Plus, free food.

I wasn't able to talk to the manager that I'm working for about where we're going from here, but I was able to have a bitter sweet conversation with the other manager. Everything is still up in the air. I also talked to the other intern who has done a lot more PA work than I have and she offered to give my resume to someone at MTV for PA-ing jobs. While I'm thrilled at the prospect, I also feel pretty strongly that PA-ing is not the direction for me right now. But... what do I know?

On the other job front, I am going to try and get a hostessing job at a diner that Corina works/worked at (tonight's her last night) so I at least have a bit of an income in these hard times. So my current dream is to get this manager's assistant job and work 11am-5pm at the diner on weekends.

I talked to Natalya about her first week in San Francisco and the tale is just as exciting and unpredictable as you would expect from her. She has embraced my "make life a game" policy.

My friend Liz and I wrote a basic outline to our script, which is now loosely based on my mother instead of an afghani tow truck driver. It was very cathartic. I've been thinking about my mother a lot recently, which is probably to do with writing the script outline, but I wasn't able to tell her because... my thoughts have been kind of panicky and scary and she doesn't like to hear those things. I have to keep remembering that I don't believe in magic and my thoughts are NOT premonitions.

While sitting in front of the Baskin Robins and talking on the phone (a VERY common practice for me), a lady came over to me and insisted it was meant for her to talk to me. Obviously I couldn't brush it off as... she insisted and I love strangers. She told me that I'm a good person and that I was born with luck and am meant for success and marriage and children. She told me, however, that I have a dark cloud around me and she is my guardian angel. I have been impregnated with bad fortune by a friend and one of my lovers (?) was on drugs but I was unaware. I did tell her that that wasn't possible, but... she didn't listen I guess and kept insisting. She told me she could cure me if only I buy 5 special candles at $20 each. She also told me that the predictions she gave me are usually $35, but mine was free.

So... I consider this $35 in the bank. After I turned her down, she returned to the boat dealership with her husband where he was planning a purchase.

Even though I REALLY want to read book 7 of Harry Potter again, I'm opting for Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk as my next choice. I hope it's good.

Movies watched:

Stardust

Knotting Hill

The Secret Garden

Blue Lagoon

Julie and Julia

Keith

The Fifth Element

When Harry Met Sally

A League of Their Own

The Truth About Cats and Dogs

Napoleon Dynamite

Valley Girl

Igby Goes Down

Honestly, probably more but I can't think of them. I need to get a full-time job.

Keith was interesting for several reasons:

1. Michael McGrady, from Perfect Family, was in it.

2. I also spotted a friend of mine in the background 3 times.

3. Elisabeth Harnois does NOT age. I'm pretty sure she's a vampire. SERIOUSLY! She looks EXACTLY the same as she did in My Date with the President's Daughter in 1998 TEN years before!! And not like she looks youthful enough to play 18 even though she's 31 but you can see that she's aged the way that Melissa Joan Hart used to be. No. She looks THE SAME!

1998 - My Date with the President's Daughter

2008 - Keith

VAMPIRE!

(Reasonable pictures were hard to find, but if you're not convinced, give it a shot on your own.)

Fish Threat and More

I just gave Hootenanny (my fish) a huge scare!

Everyone (one person (Saralyn)) told me that I shouldn't keep my fish on the floor in case I trip on the bowl. Hootenanny sleeps at the top of the water and even though barely any water splashed out (I'm not exactly sure of the physics as it was dark), he flew right out. I rescued him pretty quickly but... he's acting a little stunned, although visibly alive. I contend that a life of getting to see the sun and the outdoors, even if it comes with a little risk, is better than a life of darkness on my dresser.

We'll see how I feel if he's dead tomorrow....

Money situation is still rotten. Superfresh Blythe is much more difficult, although thankfully not impossible, to maintain on a diet of bread and bananas and severe reduction of caffeine. At about 7pm today, I felt a Hulk-like change approaching and had to bolt ASAP, lest a more tyrannical Blythe make an appearance.

Part 2 of the money situation is that I've obviously been spending a lot more time on craigslist than usual. I find it hard not to get distracted by all the kittens people are giving away. I'm DEFINITELY not getting a kitten... but... it's distracting. (Double paws!)

I think I'm going to look at a new place this week. $500 a month at the Park La Brea (where I used to live) with a young lesbian couple. I'm not getting my hopes up though, because if there is a deposit involved, it's a no-go. Samesies with any sort of lease situation.

Davida procured another roommate. Her name is Katheria (Kah-thee-ria (I ran to get a piece of paper and spell it phonetically minutes after I met her so I wouldn't forget)). I've seen her twice. She has a chihuahua that actually looks like a chihuahua, unlike any of the other 3 half-breeds that live with us. I met her twice. Her boyfriend is objectively hot. This is all I know.

Hung out with my longest-known peer friend Cassidy the other day which, as always, cemented the knowledge that our lives are completely parallel. Both raised by single teenage milf nurses, with step-fathers later on. Both moved a jillion times and weren't in the same school for more than 2 years until middle school. Both have a much younger brother and sister (I have an additional sister, but as I never lived with her, that doesn't change my similarities to Cassidy). Both majored in film and moved to LA after college. We're both pretty easy going. We both own a JILLION movies (he might even have more than me... but only by about 40). We both watch the same movies over and over and OVER again. We both have a tendency to stay up until 4am if our life-styles are at all permitting. We're the same.

Cassidy and Kim (his mom)

Me and my mom.

It's too bad I don't know where my favorite picture of him and me is. We were cute as hell, if I may be so immodest for the both of us.

Finished The Lovely Bones. I'm sure no one is keeping track, but I never got to finish No One Gets Out of Here Alive, the Doors biography, because I lost my bag that contained it a while ago. Thankfully that was essentially the only thing in there, but the real tragedy is that the main reason I got that book was because I wanted to know how they interpreted Jim Morrison's death and I never got to that part. The rest of the book was... not boring, but not really great or enlightening so I don't really want to buy it again (not that I could right now... but hypothetically speaking). I guess I'll have to get a library card. Maybe it'll be a blessing in disguise.

Regardless, The Lovely Bones was pretty great. Although I would be interested to see how they made the movie since it seemed like it would be far too anti-climactic for cinema. Now I'm reading American On Purpose, Craig Ferguson's autobiography. Love it. Love Ferguson. Plus interestingly enough, Craig Ferguson and Barack Obama make me feel more proud of being American than... anyone or anything else in the world.

That's all.

A Moment to Whine... It's Been a While

Need a job bad. I'm on the VERGE! ... but I need to be closer than that.

The funny thing about running out of money, for me at least, is that the symptoms are so funny and familiar. For instance, I watch the ground as though there is money for the taking if only I looked for it. I don't try to do this-- it just happens. Also, the wish list gets sadder and sadder-- "When I have the money, I'm going to replace my face wash and buy a hanger for my pants." Also, it becomes more of a task to remember that the past is unchanging. "If only I didn't get that parking ticket etc etc." But it's in the past.

If I didn't have to pay my rent, I'd be so golden. But... that's close enough to being in the past.

And to emphasize, (if only to myself) it could be so so much worse. It's going to be fine. It's going to be fine.

Bad Ass

JOB SITUATION:

Doing good. I feel VERY good about the prospect of working as a (talent) manager's assistant. I've been interning for a bit, I know they like me, all good things. Also, they're nice and encouraging and I've already learned so much! Plus, one of the many awesome things about this job is that I can read basically any script ever, a bonus that I started taking advantage of last night.

FORMER JOB SITUATION:

One of the last jobs I got to do was for a company called Sword Fights INC. Please look at the link and understand how incredible it was! Long, awesome days outside climbing hills from sun up to sun down LITERALLY. It was a blast and I drank about 15 bottles of water per day. At the end, the company offered me free screen sword fighting lessons. Awesome!!!

PROGRESS REPORT ON THE NEW PLAN A: IMPORTING MY LOVED ONES TO CALIFORNIA

Positive. VERY positive. I believe Natalya just landed in San Francisco on Saturday and I just talked to Wolf and she seems to be staying in California for at least a year to learn about permaculture farms! I'm pretty sure avocados give you powers and I'm using them to suck my favorite people towards me.

IN OTHER NEWS:

-Made a new besty named Charlene. She's the other manager's assistant and we've become fast friends. Yesterday she took me out for my very first frozen yogurt, which was heavenly.

-I've been on a movie kick. Fight Club, Little Miss Sunshine, Lucas, Someone Like You. I also saw Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World. I was about 20 minutes in before I really felt attached to the film. However in retrospect I think it was amazing start to finish. Also, it was for our EXACT age group. It's highly stylized to look and sound like early 90s video games and the characters are 22. The movie was also a gold mine for amazing lines. One of my favorite was "Your BF's about to get F-ed in the B!"

-My friend Cassidy and his girlfriend Elena went to an audience test of The Perfect Family!! They said they loved it, although I hazard to guess they wouldn't tell me if they didn't.

-My sister turned 16 which... is unreal. Mostly because the last time I lived with her she was 12! That's CRAZY!! She told me that in her mind I am in a perpetual state of being 18, but really 18 to 22 isn't that much of a leap. 12 to 16-- that's HUGE. I bought her a shirt that my friend designed. His company is called HOLLYWOOD ARSON. I got her this one:

She said it was the most bad-ass shirt she owns, although she could have been kissing my ass. It is mighty bad-ass though, I think.

-I lost one of my favorite earrings-- the Berkeley tree ones. I also lost one of the OTHER pair of earrings I own... so basically I don't have any complete earring sets except my hoops which I wouldn't wear daily. Lame. As soon as I have a paying job and save some money, I'm buying another pair. Doing it. Nothing can stop me.

Regular

Regular

by Kevin and Blythe

(to the tune of "Ironic")

An old man who was 98
sat in his rocking chair
and watched TV all day
It's a black fly
on something decayed
It's a Saturday night
and you're staying up late
And isn't it regular? Don't ya think?

It's like rain on cloudy day
It's like finding out Ricky Martin is gay
It's a potter making pots out of clay
It's all so fucking regular

A librarian liked to read books
She hated loud noise
and gave people mean looks
She went out to lunch
then she came right back
She went home at 5
and took a bath
And isn't it regular? Don't ya think?

It's like rain on cloudy day
It's like finding out Ricky Martin is gay
It's a potter making pots out of clay
It's all so fucking regular

Life has a way of being the same everyday everyday everyday and everything's okay-ay

When you think something's out of place, it's actually not, it's right there where you left it last and everything's okay-ay

Traffic jam
when you're in LA
A "no smoking" sign
in your office space
It's like 10,000 spoons
in a store just for spoons
It's like meeting the man of your dreams...
and he really likes poon

And isn't it regular? Don't ya think?
It's so fucking regular. Yeah I really do think

It's like rain on cloudy day
It's like finding out Ricky Martin is gay
It's a potter making pots out of clay
It's all so fucking regular

Life has a normal way of being the saaaame
ooooo
Life has a normal, normal way
of being the same
Being. the. same.

Lucky--Even on Friday the 13th

I apologize for constantly talking about how lucky I am, but this was the luckiest Friday the 13th for me!! Actually, all the luck came in like... a 2 hour span.

1. I got my license back! I left my license at this gas station and when I returned the next day to get it, the woman at the register, with whom I originally left my license, told me that she remembered me leaving it there but she had no idea where it was. She told me to come back the next morning because her manager would know its location.

So the next day I returned and asked the manager and he told me that this other girl would know where it was and that I should come back AGAIN after 3pm. Well I couldn't make it back the that day, but the day AFTER (today) I went back and ANOTHER girl, who ALSO remembered seeing it, told me that I should come back when her manager was there. SOOO frustrating! Not only can I not afford to go and get a new license-- I can't afford the money OR the time-- but I don't really want California to know that I'm here yet. I'm not ready to open that can of worms, especially when I'm so low on funds.

So I asked the girl what she would recommend me do. Is there a number I can call? She told me she could give me the number to the gas station chain, but I don't know how they would find my ID. So I asked her if she would take my number and then hopefully whoever moved it would see and give me a call. After I left, I made a call and expressed my frustration to a friend. Just as I'm getting into the story, I miss a call. Turns out it was the gas station lady. She found it! Crisis averted.

2. (This is NOT in chronological order, by the way.) So I'm working for these post people and it has been REALLY amazing! A few of the days, in particular, were REALLY enlightening in terms of the post production process. However, I had no idea when this job was going to end and I was getting quite nervous. Then at 6pm I get a call from a woman from a (talent) management company saying that they were looking for a new assistant for one of the managers and a friend of mine, Liz, highly recommended me. The conversation was much longer and more cheerful than this, but basically on Tuesday I'm going to go in and ... see if we all take to each other. PUUUUUMPED. Actually, I'm WAAAAY more pumped than I'm describing, but I already talked and talked and TALKED about this with my grandparents and Kevin, so I'm a little talked out.

3. Just minutes after I got this call and explained the situation to my post people (they are VERY supportive and told me that I can come back on Wednesday if I'm not into the management thing), I went to say goodbye to my Present Pictures ladies since I don't know when I'm coming back in the office. WELL, one of them told me that the agent she was getting me in touch with before wanted my updated resume so that she can personally walk it down to HR!!

So basically, this Friday the 13th, I got 2 job prospects and my license back. AWESOME!!

DREAM NEWS.

I haven't been remembering my dreams lately, but two nights ago I had one that I got a speeding ticket, which seems to reflect my anxiety about money. I'm just really frightened that something really stupid will happen that will break my bank. So I was going 40mph on the road and I saw a cop ahead and I thought "this is okay because the speed limit is probably 35mph," but then I see the speed limit sign right as I'm passing the cop and it reads 25mph. Just as I see the cop starting to pull out to follow me, I wake up.

Side note: I DID reflect on the lameness of spending so many waking hours driving only to keep doing it whilst sleeping.

THEEEN last night I had a dream that my sister Meredith was swimming in a lake and all of these walruses popped up. Neither of us were afraid, but then one came from right underneath her and grabbed her in its mouth. It didn't seem like it was TRYING to be vicious, but Mere started bleeding extravagantly from her stomach and arms. I got her out of the water and as we were waiting for an ambulance (I don't recall calling one, but we assumed it was coming I guess), we talked about how the walrus probably thought she was drowning and was trying to save her. I don't really know what that one was about.

MOVIE NEWS.

Last night I got out of work early and Kevin and I seemed to mutually and wordlessly agree that we weren't talking last night-- our first night in weeks and weeks. I ended up watching 3 movies back to back: Love Me If You Dare, Wayne's World, and Little Children. It's not really news I guess, but my grandpa pointed out how lucky I am since most people don't leave their jobs and crave to do more job-related activities. I AM lucky!! Plus, Little Children MIIIIIGHT be my #7 top movie. I haven't officially decided, but I do LOVE that film!

LASTLY

Tomorrow is my only weekend day because I'm doing a shoot on Sunday and Monday. I'm pretty pumped for it, especially since if I get this manager's assistant job, it might be my last on-set work for a while. Sunday I'm being picked up at 4:45am! Which means that I have to cram everything in before 8pm tomorrow so that I can get enough sleep.

This is what needs to happen:

1. Laundry. Always.

2. Deposit check.

3. Pay damn parking ticket

4. Update my resume and send it to my Present Pictures producer and the management company girl.

5. A while ago, I wrote about the lovely story this man told me when he was towing my car. I told it to my friend Liz and she casually suggested we write a screenplay. I agreed, although I agree to a lot of screenplays. I FORGOT that here, when you have an idea for a screenplay you fucking WRITE IT. She's already thought of names and talked to a writer friend about it. So tomorrow she's going to come over so we can try and make an outline.

WTF!? AWWWESOME!!