Our only friend, the bartender

I attended a red carpet event for a jewelry store opening in Beverly Hills with Emily Asian. Raquel Welch hosted the event which was attended by fake plastic breasts, face lifts, eye lifts, botox, chin implants, perhaps even calf implants, rhinoplasty, eating disorders, and beautiful people as well. Climbing out of the car, paparazzi snapped photos of us and commented on our emerald green and teal dresses. Obviously this was our type of scene so we tripped (I tripped) and giggled our way through the crowd and headed straight to the bar. The bartender was thankful for us as we were eager for his services. "Chardonnay?" "Bring it, and keep the glass filled." He invited us to eat at the bar as well, knowing we were commoners who would happily support his views of the Beverly Hills cretans in attendance. Emily and I went in shifts to grab hor d'oeuvres from the buffet, I'd say at least six shifts, as we felt sorry for all the uneaten food left by the eating disorders. Before we knew it, stacks of plates were piled up on the bar and the bartender asked to remove the mess we left. We thanked him for his hospitality and he smiled so big, I thought his teeth were going to pop out of his mouth! Apparently saying thank you is a rare occurance.

Colette (the creator of this exclusive jewelry) raffled off a pair of earrings towards the end of the night. 30329... (OMG I'm going to win I'm going to win)... 1. One number off from winning earrings. Booohooo. I made it a point to introduce myself to Colette however, to prove to myself I had a purpose of being there. I researched her collections before attending and told her how I love the "galaxy collection." She agreed it's her favorite. I'm sure she says that about all of her collections.

A homeless guy in a wheelchair approaches us outside while we're standing at the valet stand, mapping our next spot for a drink. “You know why women are so beautiful?" he says. "Because they gave birth to you. Your momma, her momma, my momma, they could have died having us! Women could die having babies.” And I said, “So can men.” I subconsciously found a way to divert a homeless person's attention away from asking for money. He rode off on his wheelchair, through a group of people who could surely afford to drop a few hundred to help this poor man, trying to absorb my stupidity.

The jewelry is beautiful. Take a look:
http://colettejewelry.com/v2/

You fell down, scraped your knee, it scabbed. You're healed. 24 years old.

I was pleasantly surprised. I arrived home from work to find my favorite people awaiting my arrival at home for a birthday celebration. We ate chocolate cake (homemade, w/ Betty Crocker's assistance) with vanilla frosting and gelato for dinner! I also loved the karaoke rendition of "Sweet Caroline" sang as "Sweet Jessica."

Does it take really 24 years to develop such a great appreciation for life? Our mind is the control tower of our thoughts, actions, and behaviors throughout our lives. We take everything for what it is, for what it seems at the time but what is actually significant? When it comes down to it, what does it take to change our thought patterns, our opinions, our hypothesis?

Effect me. Challenge me. Say something and do something I haven't heard or seen before. What will stick and make an impact is what will bring wrinkles to my eyes when I smile. Or the tears I fight to hide when I'm doubtful or distressed. I am eager to succeed, I am cautious of the detours along the way, and my sixth sense has been working harder than ever. I've found amazing friends. Tonight they helped me to come to this realization. A random Thursday night, celebrating my birthday with close friends who care. Enjoying life. Enjoying friendship. Enjoying each other. Unforgiving of anything but the best.

A shy young woman with a pronounced taste for all life's small pleasures

Tonight I wore my "I Heart Serendipity" shirt. I became partial to the movie Serendipity in high school. A born romantic and of course a sucker for love stories, the film reeled me in as did the word Serendipity: The art of finding the unusual, or the pleasantly unexpected by chance or sagacity. My mom knew how obsessed I became with Serendipity and one winter day, brought me to Manhattan to mirror the opening segment of the film. We began at Bloomingdales where surely I had to try on anything priced under $100. Then we got back on the film's track and admired cold-weather gear in the glove department. All that shopping of course built up our appetite so we finished the day at the restaurant Serendipity where we indulged in frozen hot chocolate and brownie sundaes. I left with a smile on my face and my favorite t-shirt.

One aspect of all love stories is the chase. There is always a chance in the beginning for two people to connect and call it happily ever after. However that's too easy and life does not usually work that way. Leave out the chase and you're left with a monotonous storyline.

I finally watched the movie Amelie, wearing the Serendipity t-shirt and all. Amelie grew up without proper socialization as her father, a doctor, mistakenly diagnosed her rapid heart beat as a disorder, leaving her home schooled and without friends. Her awkwardness and appreciation for the small things in life that no one else catches draws you in to her lovely character. She notices a man and is immediately enthralled by him. Rather then approaching him and making herself available, she sends him clues leading him on a wild goose chase in search of his mysterious admirer. The story, the music, the colors and the artistic shots made for an extremely enjoyable two hours.

There's nothing like throwing on an old t-shirt. Easy to wear. Comfortable.

Up Close and Personal with Fire

While driving home from Burbank tonight on the 405 South, I drove into what looked like a fire storm from miles away. As I neared the Getty Center, I was surprised the road wasn't closed as the fire was burning literally just feet from the highway. The smoke lit the night sky in a mountainous, mushroom formation of an orange and purple haze much like a sunset. However it was 1 am. I felt fearful from the vast area of flames burning and the lingering heat.

I pray that these fires stop burning throughout California and hope people will take precautionary measures to prevent the occurrence of the damaging phenomenon. Please put out your cigarette butts before throwing them on the arid soil. And do a freakin rain dance while your at it. I'll join in.

I just want to blog.

Great night in Hollywood with the ladies. I highly recommend Boulevard 3. Of course I cannot guarantee it will be as much fun as tonight. Fashion week, lingerie show, endless entertainment, beautiful men (when do we ever get to see so many beautiful men in underwear ladies???!!!) , french men, dancing, laughing, lots of laughing. Ahhhh. I'm laying in bed with Emily as she locked herself out of the house of course. Apparently my quote of the night... Em, I just want to blog. She passed out in the back seat of my car and is now sleeping in my bed. No help with this blog at all folks. I guess my driving is just that relaxing. I quite enjoy being the designated driver. I am responsible for myself and the passengers a.k.a. the precious cargo in my front and back seat. The energy of this great company was enough to keep the night alive tonight. I love you girls. Pictures/Vids soon to come from Jess #2.

I wish you could be in my head for a little bit so you could realize how amazing of a person you are

One of the greatest satisfactions is finding a person you can completely open yourself up to, who won't judge you, who will hold your hand through it all and will always leave you feeling loved. My parents have always provided me with that support and yes, that's what friends are for. But how often do you meet someone and within a matter of minutes, you have developed an understanding stronger than any friendship that's grown over a life time? It's now been a year and half since we met and this person has moved quickly to family status.

My mind was filled with regret and lost hope. My body ached. But this special friend said, "I want you not to feel so sad anymore. I wish you could be in my head for a little bit so you could realize how amazing of a person you are ." Some people always know the right things to say that will make you feel good. I know from the bottom of my heart this was the truth.

Camping Uncensored

7 PM- We sat around the campfire and wrote a story. Everyone contributed one line. Here is the final piece:

It was a close race for the loser of the day award but Jessica began pulling ahead quickly in the morning. And it tickled my feet. So Matt ran away. Can I just say Berto tried to save the day with a condom. It's cool if your name is Mandora because then your nickname could be Dora. And Amish sent out 2000 emails about the camping trip. I realized when I looked north and saw the big rock and the cliff, I wouldn't be able to reach it without jumping into the water. After the projectile vomit came out my mouth, I wanted to jump into the ocean and die. I knew he'd been dead for a few days because rigor mortis had set in. As I sat warming myself by the crackling fire, I realized I could really use a box of a kittens. I found later that he was a predatory lender. I needed a condom but luckily Berto brought four so I saved my air mattress.

Memories from the trip:
Jessica puking exorcist style on the boat.
Matt puking in his mouth on the boat. Why couldn't I keep it in my mouth?
14+99999 miles hiking
Deer with awesome antlers jumping out in front of Emily and scaring everyone during hike
Christopher Bunk and Jess's discovery of a deer carcass while exploring
Berto's numerous condom discussions (apparently more ways to use than we ever thought to believe)
Bruno's surprise visit to the campsite
Meili's fear of Bruno the robot
Falling into the fire
The Random Girls of Catalina Island
Waking up to the sound of waves crashing
Getting through all "99 bottles of beer on the wall" during hike
Nick, me, Leila and Brian running as fast as possible to the end of the trail in search of bacon cheeseburgers
Meili's exciting return to civilization an hour later than everyone else

Catalina Camping Trip 2008

There are 16 of us going camping this weekend. We are only going for one night yet we will be so prepared, we could permanently relocate if we wanted to. I mean who wouldn't want to give up the comfort of their own bed, privacy, running water, a toilet that flushes, fresh food, and protection from sand flies to live in the wilderness like Lord of the Flies. I'd love to roam free with wild Buffalo and share my body with sand flies. That's fun! We could develop our own organized govenment and I bet who would nominate themselves President. I could see it now, Amish, Master Organizer, standing at the top of the hill wearing his chicken hat from Oktoberfest, holding onto a walking stick. He will nominate everyone with a different responsibility to keep the community running smoothly.

Apparently I'm not eligible to obtain a fishing license as Master said I'll end up in federal prison if I bring a fishing rod along. I'd be better off blowing up mail boxes! Can we just say 14 miles of hiking in two days with smelly boys? Freeze dried meals? MMMMmmmm delicious.

I'm actually really excited to spend time outdoors with a great group of people this weekend. Just wanted to throw it out there. :-)

alrighty jeseeca, sleep well and don't worry too much, good things happen to good people :-)

So I'm starting to note things people say to me each day that make me feel good. From this point forward I'm going to title my blogs as a dedication to the conversations that have put a smile on my face.

Lately my life has been almost identically mirroring people I care about. And not even people I normally see on a regular basis but friends I've only recently reconnected with. The summer ended with a domino effect of contagious experiences, both positive and negative. There was illness, heartache, regret, and loss. But more importantly opportunity, chances to grow and explore, the beginning of new friendships and the rekindling of old.

How our lives intertwine and change beyond our control, in the hands of some greater force has been of great interest to me. I've read The Secret. We are what we attract into our lives and we attract things through what we think. Is the law of attraction contagious? I hope so as I'd love to transmit positivity rather than this nasty cough. It explains how I jumped out of a slump, landed on my feet and fell into a career opportunity and an incredible group of friends, old and new. I still feel a situational sadness at times but it's ok. Our parallel lives have been full of drastic and impulsive decisions. The energy we've put into these decisions and/or taken out can be used towards improving our own lives and those around us. It has already begun. I have been an observer and an element of this group who has gone from one emotional extreme to the other. Everyone will fall into the right path. Good things happen to good people. :-)

We are expandable creatures

It was a great evening. That is a total "Jess" night with pure indulgence drinking wine, eating bread, listening to live music with good company. Of course there was random unnecessary conversaton with a complete stranger who offered nothing to the table but an extra fan club only enabling the sarcastic (and protective) but good natured responses. Just upon arriving home I had a run in with a neighbor who lives beneath me. I heard through her roommate she moved in a few months ago, is named Jessica and works in the field of Psychology. I had almost reached out to her for career advice a while back after casually throwing out my interest in Psychology to her roommate who was fixing my chronically running toilet at the time.

Tonight, I had the greatest end to an already enjoyable evening. I met Jessica as we were entering the building together. She already knew who I was and introduced herself with the warmest and most sincere welcome. I immediately felt at ease with her. You sometimes meet people at those moments in life where you are longing for reassurance, only to find others hold the same belief system, validating your ambitions even further. She is in the helping profession but does not define herself as purely a Psychologist. She has training in Nutrition, Personal Training, Massage, Master's in Clinical Psychology, Meditation, and uses her vast skills to work with troubled female teenagers. "We are expandable creatures," she said. And I will take her words with me and cherish them.

rolled the shores of cali just to find a peace of mind

Two years, two months, six days. It felt like only yesterday, July 23rd, 2006 when a New York friend told me he predicted I stay in LA for only six months. And then I proved him wrong.
I have discovered a formula for the length in which people stay in this city. Los Angeles has an equation all to itself. Career + Need to Get Away = Los Angeles + Time Spent.

My career, while it's taken some detours and beatings but for the better of course, is off to a new start. Therefore my career mode is strong. I'd like to define the Need to Get Away from the desire to explore the new and unknown, to running away from problems, to pursuing that dream career, or perhaps being forced to leave. I feel like I have only just begun exploring myself and the people around me. While running away from problems seems like an easy way out, it is extremely satisfying to attack those problems and make the necessary changes in order to have a clearer view and appreciation. Los Angeles has me for some time now. I'm still here.

Tuesday September 30, 2008

Three weeks ago, I finally dug out my dancing shoes from the dust bunny covered corner of my dark closet. The urge to dance was stronger than ever and there was no fighting it. The Emily's and I now share this one night a week together; Where all that matters is that we find our high heels (and drag each other to drive to Long Beach).

I was introduced to a Salsa class one year ago thanks to an ex-boyfriend. Dancing has always been a part of me and I gave it up for quite some time. Never did I imagine picking up Salsa dance as I was always trained in ballet, oh the ever disciplined dancer I once was! Now we're talking about having fun. Salsa is the best release besides playing music. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, everyone is there to dance and there are no lack of partners. People from all ages, ethinicities, and social backgrounds participate in these classes. It's a chance for everyone to unite in an art form that leaves you with the most natural high. The music's energy makes you shake your hips, smile, and find the sexy, happy soul we often let slip away.