WELL HELLO, THERE! I am back. Back to blogging. Back to wanting to blog. Back to Ohio (but not for long).
Two weeks ago, as I left for LA, I wrote: “Sometimes you go on trips that you hope will change your life or make you see something you desperately need to. I have a feeling this will be one of them.” In ways, it was precisely as I felt it would be.
I wanted to learn, I wanted an adventure and I wanted to be a little wild. I experienced a whole lot of all three. While I felt an energy that just clicked, this trip was also a lesson on What Not to Do. And it’s going to make an excellent series of short stories someday. (Read: NSFBlog.)
I’d never been to LA previously (save for a weekend in the Anaheim Convention Center). Sure, I left for LA thinking I wanted to solely focus on modeling and acting, but once I was there, the strangest thing happened. All I wanted to do was write. My mind could not stop spinning. I started plot lines in my head. I kept repeating the words “pedantic” and “frenetic” to myself and wondering why their definitions aren’t swapped, because doesn’t it sound like they should be? Quotes and paragraphs just came to me. It kept me up at night.
And that’s how you know the energy is right. I felt a freedom of creativity there that I haven’t felt for a long, long time. It probably happens to most creative people who visit— you feel as though you can do anything. Screenwriter who also models, acts, sings and casts? Why not! But as my newfound friends told me repeatedly and all on separate occasions: “Hollywood only rewards hard work and integrity.” Got it? Now I do.
I’ve made a lot of empty promises to myself since I graduated college in 2010. Right now, summer of 2012, is when that stops. Now is when I follow through.
It was a trip that didn’t necessarily change me, just confirm what I needed to know or how I felt. Now I have action behind what I say, want and dream. Now it’s going to happen. But until I share more on that, here are some factoids, tidbits and anecdotes I acquired along my two-week sojourn.
1. Having two 5’10″ females, one blonde, one brunette, walk the streets of West Hollywood in 4-inch wedges will garner countless remarks: “You’re so tall!” (I had no idea.) “How did you get to be so tall?” (You know, I set a goal and I just went for it.) “Go Germany!” (OK, that’s funny-ish.) “Are you guys models?” (Why yes, I am a part-time model, thanks. Part-time model is also one of my favorite new terms. I’d even push it to quarter-time model.)
2. For men, it’s perfectly acceptable to go out in a t-shirt and jeans (well fitted, of course!), but the women are dressed to the muthafluffin nines. If you don’t have fake lashes on, you might as well go home.
3. Finishing Joan Didion’s Play It As It Lays poolside in the hills after a late night of champagne is actually the perfect scenario. In every way.
4. When some dude sees your bag of kale chips popping out of your purse and says, “Whoah! That is some gnarly shit! I’ve never seen that kind before!” you know it’s time to change your scenery. (But bro, thank you for absolutely making my day. Kale chips ≠ weed.)
5. It’s OK to pretend to be someone you’re not…as long as you remember you at the end of the day. Or the beginning of the next. And then you get back to being that person.
6. A lot of the truly successful ones are the quietest ones. Do not terrify them with what you believe to be your mind-blowing hip hop skills. Or do. Depends on what you’d like the outcome to be.
7. Business cards. Always business cards.
8. Free flowing Veuve Clicquot is dangerous, especially on consecutive nights.
9. No one will sign a contract with you or hire you unless you live there. (Every other city in which I’ve ever wanted to work has taught me this, and yet, I like to think, “Maybe this time!” Gurrrl, naw.)
10. Trust no one. Loose lips sink ships. Don’t be that girl. Be entertaining, be bold. Still be a lady. Money can’t buy you class (but it can buy you space and lots of it).
11. You have only yourself to rely on. Put yourself at the mercy of no one else.
12. Be resourceful. We stayed in four different houses, two different hotels and one apartment. Thank you, thank you, thank you, kind souls.
13. Have FUN! It’s about the FUN! But also hard work. And integrity. Remember?
Ciao for now,
Kailey
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
Aw, girrlll… I like the sound of this! xo
I want to read those short stories!
Welcome back, lady!
Oh, exciting. Can’t wait to follow along.
But, what does NSFBlog mean? Sorry, it must be my non-native-speaker-genes…
Your ‘part time model’ comment reminded me of this Flight of the Conchords scene – so funny, you must watch FOTC if you haven’t already
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaQ1SILaRuM
Becca, OMG! I actually saw that episode when I was in California! And I was like, “I say that all the time! I AM one!”
Get it gurl. Good for you, chasing your dreams and learning a little bit more about yourself. I mean, isn’t that what being in your twenties is all about anyways?
so jealous! always wanted to go out there! your quotes are hilarious girl…loved the kale chips bit and ‘if you dont have your fake lashes on you might as well go home’ hahaha
ha, I was wondering if you were fake lashing it in your instagram pics, which I obviously kept checking up on while you were there. I want to try that look – it’s hot! though, I don’t think it’ll fly here in New York.
Anyway, I’m going to email you separately, but this is all so awesome – and all of this is TRUE, even for any high-profile, “glamorous” career. I’m so proud of you in taking control of your dreams. A beautiful girl with a brain is a dangerous, awesome combination – use. it. up!!!
Thanks, love! I am beyond ready for your email. You should try the lashes! They transform your eyes! But they feel strange. And, you know, fake.
Welcome back! Sounds like a fun, intense, productive, educational trip. Lessons learned, I guess.
I <3 the "If you don’t have fake lashes on, you might as well go home" comment, that's juuust how I think of L.A. Can't wait for your newfound creativity to influence the blog!
You are doing your 20s right. Flying free while endeavoring to stay grounded. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Do not engage with those on the sidelines who heckle but never try. I wish I knew and lived by this quote in my 20s:
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat”
love love LOVE this. you go homegirl!!
I can totally relate to all of this!! I’m in the process of leaving my full time, corporate job to go back to school to pursue my passion of nutrition. It’s scary, but like you said, when you get a taste of that freedom of doing what you love, you know the decision is right.
Ps- #10 “Money can’t buy you class”. Is it sad that the first thing that came to my mind was the Countess LuAnn’s single from RHONY? Please tell me you know what I’m talking about haha
Erica- Elegance is learned! Clearly! (I love RHONY.) I love that you’re going back to school and doing what you know is right for YOU!
Good luck to you girl. If I may offer some old lady advice… hold on to your dreams and fight for them. But try to find a job that will pay your bills so that you can follow rules 10 and 11. Don’t “crash” with kind souls. Not safe. NOT. SAFE. LA is not The Ohio State University and it is full of people who are happy to chew ya up and spit you out. You have a long life ahead of you, you don’t want to spend it recovering from things that happened in your 20s.
Be smart.
good luck, lady! i’ve been in this business since i was 5-years-old, and in los angeles for 7, and there’s still a lot to learn…you have the right attitude!
I definitely think you should move to SoCal…but I might be a bit biased because I’m already here.
Glad you had a great time while you were here!
you.go.girl.
cannot wait to hear all about it!!
Well from the sound of your tidbits, I think you had an awesome time in LA! It really is a great city and I can totally see you there! I can’t wait to hear more about what you’ve got up your sleeve!
Glad you made the most of your two weeks. Where did you put down all of this creative writing if it didn’t make the blog?!
I love the energy of LA, where I lived for 5 years…but my bubble was….very different. Tshirt and jeans always, no fake lashes in sight. And tall girls on the UCLA campus were a dime a dozen. I think people just wanted a reason to talk to you!
I live here now, and my bubble is similar to yours. We wear what we want, and I haven’t put on fake lashes since my middle-school dance days. And I’m a young professional, not a college student.
i’ve never made the trip to LA! it sounds like a great time and I”m happy for you
that whole “we only hire people who live around here” rule needs to get lost – especially when you live in the middle of no where : \
sounds like you learned a lot in LA
I have a piece of advice about that “not hiring out of state people” thing: put a local address on your resume. It can be a PO or the address of your friend (just ask permission first, of course). I moved to LA in 2011, and it was a trick my aunt — who hires people for a living — gave me that really worked. Before I did that: I got zero interviews. After: I had several, one of which led to my current job.
I’m trying to get a job out of state (I live in WI)…I’ve been out of college for 2 years (feels like forevvvaaaaa)…and NO ONE, I mean, NO ONE wants to even give me an interview. What happens if the company wants to set up an interview and asks you to come in the next day?! Do you confess that you put a fake address?!
Most places are understanding about phone interviews. I put in my cover letters that I was still in Oklahoma finishing up work but would welcome a phone interview. I then actually flew out for an in-person interview for the job I eventually landed.
Oooh sounds like you definitely learned some life/career lessons on this trip! The kale chip part was hilar. Move to cali!!! You’d totally fit in as a california girl
No, but really. I need a serious, detailed update. Text yo twin!!
In LA there are gorgeous girls everywhere. So many people are models, actresses etc & you really think that people are going to see you & your friend and be like “omg are you guys models?”. People are not suprised to see attractive people walking around here – tall or not lol. Also “darling” there are much prettier girls here, with nicer attitudes too. You are not striking. Why are you so full of yourself?
So now you wanna be a screenwriter? Why don’t you just say that you want to be famous, you want to be in LA & be known? ANYTHING AS LONG AS PEOPLE NOTICE MEEEEEE!
I am not sure that doing a few promo jobs is even worth calling yourself a “part time model”. Srsly…
Ughhhh…
Melanie, all I want in life is to enjoy what I do, every day…whatever that may be! It could be tons of things. I’ve never said I want to be famous or think I’m striking or anything of that nature, but I am comfortable in my body. I wish that for every woman. I do have to say, though, that women will never progress if we’re constantly trying to tear one another down. I’m not sure why you’ve chosen me to attack (it’s an attack– none of what you’re saying is constructive), but I’m not sure I’m the one who needs to work on her attitude. And you clearly don’t get the sarcasm in my writing; I just don’t think you “get” me at all. That’s perfectly fine and dandy. But please stop leaving comments like this.