Saturday, July 4, 2009

Some True Facts About Jen's First Year in LA...

1. In my first year, I resided in three places. These places spanned about 3 square miles of each other. During this time, I had 5 roommates and 4 catroommates. I slept on one twin bed, and went through 2 Aerobeds and one foam pad before finally finding an Aerobed that wasn't funky.

2. In my first year, I have acquired the following free things from friends and such: Three baskets for stuff, two plastic tubs for storing things, a plastic shelf thingie, a bunch of hangers, a desk, a futon frame and a microwave. Coming up: Jen gets an entertainment center/bookshelf.

3. I was a page with Audiences Unlimited, I had an internship at a media company called Salient Media, I was a temp receptionist at Johnson Fain and Warner Home Video, and worked for two weeks at ABC as an admin assistant, as well as working one weekend as a script supervisor for Monica's film, being an actor for the script John wrote and being paid to revise Gen's webisodes. And I almost forgot, I volunteered at the Independent TV festival on Sunset, and got to see some cool panels about TV comedy and pitching.

4. Usher grabbed my shoulders as I blocked him from the kids who tried to get his autograph at the Kid's Choice Awards. Hugh Laurie looked me in the eye when I asked him a question at People's Choice Awards (and his eyes are so blue). I saw Windsor Harmon (One of the Thornes from Bold and the Beautiful) shopping at my Trader Joes. Felicia Day and Matthew Glave walked past me on occasion at CBS Radford. Jane Lynch I saw at Starbucks. Eric McCormick was outside in his yard when John and I walked by...
I saw Neil Flynn drive away, I missed seeing Christina Applegate walk by me. The cast of Gary Unmarried is very nice. Last but not least, I go to church with Tony Hale, Buster from Arrested Development and one of my favorite TV actors.

5. I went to the Gary Unmarried Christmas party after a taping of their show that I paged at. It was awesome.

6. Office Cast Members seen: None. But I'm working on it.

7. Writings: One full spec, random revisions or reworkings of things here and there, 40 pages of a feature romantic comedy.

8. Sometime in February or March, I walked down Hollywood Blvd, and someone was trying to get people to do something touristy and I was asked if I was visiting or lived here and I said, "I lived here." and it was the first time I realized that I did live here.

9. I have not been inside Amoeba Records my whole year. Nor have I eaten at Jack in the Box, Carl's Jr or Del Taco.

10. I have made some friends but I think a great accomplishment of the year has been strengthening the friendships I had with people who lived out here before I got out here.

11. I saw the CW pilots premiere at the Paley Center, saw the Samantha Who Q & A at the Academy for TV, saw a screening of Dance Flick in Hollywood, and have seen the very talented Dan Roberts, Kahle McCann and Daphne Lamb perform live.

12. I have been here for 3-4 earthquake tremors. One in July, and I was driving so I didn't feel it. One in January, and I felt like it was a truck driving by so that didn't count, one paging for 2 and 1/2 Men and I thought it was someone walking on the bleachers so that didn't count, even though Charlie Sheen felt it. In May I believe was when I was in my apartment, felt the earth move and knew that I was feeling an earthquake.

13. I had breakfast with Michael Warren the day after my birthday, September 2nd. If you don't know, he produced some of the great sitcoms of my generation, one being one of my still favorite sitcoms, Perfect Strangers. It was so great to have gotten a chance to have him as my Act One mentor, and even better to hear about his journey through the industry.

14. God is good.

And I might be spent but if you can think of any funny anecdotes of me in Hollywood, I'd love to hear them. hehe.

But yes, it's been a year.