To Do List:

As much as I love telling my stories of being a bank teller, I don't want to be a teller forever.
Thankfully I have a few projects in the works.
1)Finish writing episode 3 and 4 for Dear Hollywood
2)Write a Dear Hollywood "stand-up routine"
3)Film Dear Hollywood episodes
4)Record ukulele songs
5)Finish writing my one woman Bank Teller show.

So a few things. Nice to have some goals and I'm pretty sure I can complete most of these by the end of the year.

Did I mention I'm playing regularly at the iO West (6366 Hollywood Blvd) every Monday night at 10pm in the Andy Dick Theatre. I can not express enough how much I love playing with my team. We have so much fun playing together and we really share a great group mind. We are in the process of filming our shows. I'll post the link as soon as it exists.

I fly back home to good ol Longview, Wa next Wednesday. So excited to see family and friends. I never know when I'll get to go back home so each time feels like a great gift.

Working at the bank has been a little wobbly. I was almost fired due to my distraction by talking too much to the customers at my window. But after reading about my customers wouldn't you get distracted too?
Ya, that's what I thought.

Dating, Deposits, and Deepening Friendships

On Friday one of my favorite handsome regulars came in and we were joking around while I took care of his deposits. As he left he said "See that's why we can never date. You can see I have no money and you probably want a man with money to take you out." "So you're calling me a gold digger?" He just laughed and said "see you later!".
A few things went through my head: 1) Were you really thinking of asking me out?! Your waaaayyyy too good looking for me. 2)Do I look like the gold digger type? 3) How could I date someone that thought I needed a guy with money?
Sad.
In a town where money seems to be a little more expendable than time I find I'm at a loss. I'm more a quality time person than "ooh what fancy place are you taking me?" kinda girl. But I'm learning that things take way more time to develop here. I don't just mean dating. No. Friendships too. Like this town, it takes forever to get places and everything is so far spread apart. I don't mind working towards a friendship. Taking time out to drive that extra half hour to get to your place so we can have a couple hours of hanging out, playing a card game, and having a drink. I like being face to face with the person. I can only handle so many text messages, e-mails, and Facebook/Twitter updates. All those hit only a level or two deep in the person. I want to know more. I want to know you and know if something is wrong by the sound of your voice or by the way you make some facial expression. So that if any miscommunication is made, it gets fixed right away. 'Cause your right there. Right in front of the person. You can say "Wait, I don't think you know what I mean. Let me clarify...."
I know we all have crazy work schedules. M-F and 9-5 is a rarity among my friends so I understand. I'm so happy to see my friends working and getting those chances to do what they love. I think slowly but surely I'm getting there too.
I guess I'm just realizing I like to be with friends. Real connections. Real conversations. Real discussions and chances to disagree, try to understand, have awkward moments, push through them, laugh about them, and let the friendship grow.
As much as I bitch and complain about some of the people that come into the bank, I love people. Sociology is one of my biggest interests. And I want to know you. What makes you tick. What makes your heart so happy it could burst, and what do you consider the most hurtful thing? All this takes time.
I'm a walking contradiction. In this microwave era I find I have little patience a lot of the time. When I find someone that I'd like to be friends with I want to hang out a lot, just so I can know how to relate to you. And also in hopes that maybe you'll get to know me. Even my weird awkward neurotic side. I can't hide it. It's right here.

The Universal Voice Change

I think I should start another blog or a new series of posts telling stories I remember from when I was a kid. I have a list of stories I'd like to share. Like the time my sister and I dropped my grandma's birthday cake on the floor in the hallway while we were waiting to surprise her. Or the time I dressed up as dice with my friends and rolled down a hill and landed on "6". Building a scooter with 4 wheels, making my own "Gameboy" out of wood in my grandpa's shop, playing Boxcar Children with my sister and friends that lived down the street. Pretending I was a ninja turtle (Donatello was my favorite- I've always had a thing for intelligent guys), or Robin Hood. Making my own bow and arrows from the twigs in my front yard.
Big thanks to my parents for not having cable while I was growing up. Actually had to go and entertain myself.
Here's one story I'll tell out full for now. Being and Disneyland the other weekend reminded me of the time my family came down to Disneyland and Universal Studios when I was in the 4th grade. I'll paint a picture for you. Me, at age 10: big glasses, buck teeth, headgear, huge T-shirt, jean shorts, sandals (with socks thank you!), and a turquoise mickey mouse baseball cap on. So my family goes to Universal studios and one of the attractions we check out is the Back to the Future "exhibit". Basically they bring in an audience and show you how they created the effects of flying and "shooting through time". They asked for two volunteers. A boy and a girl. My hand goes up instantly - I figure I can handle being on stage. Heck, I just performed pantomime for the last year. White face and all- I got this covered! So I go up on stage and the boy they pick is super cute. This is my chance to impress him! Sweet. So we get in the Delorian (sorry if that's misspelled), he in the driver's seat and me in the passenger seat. All I'm told is to scream like I can see we're flying really fast and I'm scared we're going to die. Awesome. The boy was just supposed to drive. So they get us all set up, cameras on us and all. The audience now sees up on a screen what it kinda looked like in the movie. The host tells me to start screaming. So I scream. A high pitched 10 yr old girl scream. "Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh" but I loose my breath and take a big inhale and let it out again...this time the scream is about an octave or more lower than when I had first started. "Uggggghhhhhhhh". As if I had some freak voice change! I don't know. All I know is that the whole audience started laughing like crazy. As embarrassed as I was, I think that's when the comedy bug hit.
I saw the cute boy later that day and tried to make eyes at him behind my big rimmed and thick glasses and smiled my big toothy grin- but got nothin in return.
Whatever, now I knew I could make people laugh.

Just a little something...

Today I had a customer who came up to my window laughing and saying: "your that funny teller aren't ya?!" I just smiled and said "What's your account number?" He laughed harder and gave me his account number. As I proceeded with his deposit and cash back I asked if he wanted me to leave the change in his account. "Bwahahahaha! ya I guess so. The change just weighs down my pants! Makes my pants fall down!", "Nope, don't want that." I responded. "Bwahahaha! Your a riot!" He still laughed as he took his cash and walked out the door.
The other day a lady came into the bank in her dance leotard. Now I know totally recognized it as a leotard but my co-workers thought it was a swim suit. Doesn't matter. The point is: Really? You're wearing that in public? yeesh.

Um...about that last post....

Plain and simple. I'm an idiot.
I have amazing friends. Friends in Ireland, in Washington, in Toronto, in Oregon, in New York, in Florida, in Michigan, and especially here in California. I don't often get in the "depths of despair" but when I do I loose sight of all the good and wonderful things in my life. I am a very lucky person (despite my car fiascoes).
Thank you so much my friends that are so supportive. Thank you friends that help me get around with all these car troubles. Thank you friends that go on adventures with me. Thank you friends that I love doing shows with. Thank you friends that help me get work. Thank you friends that are there to smack me upside the head when I get mopey- and show me how lucky and loved I am.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
There are gems in this town and I feel lucky enough to have found them.
There...some good sap after some crap sap from last post.

This is Hollywood Baby,

This weekend I was given a rough lesson in the reality of social gatherings among Hollywood actors. I tried to get people together to hang out for my birthday. It was at least two weeks ago that I had sent out my invitations. People responded quite positively and excited about the shin-dig. As it got closer to my birthday the excuses came in. "Sorry I have a show that night, I'll come to the party after.", "I have to work.", "Something came up." See that's why I sent you that invite at least 2 weeks in advance. So you could clear your schedule. Saturday was the day of my "shin-dig". I hadn't heard from hardly anyone. I looked at my list of people who said they were coming and marked each one off as I remembered them telling me they could no longer make it. I was left with one person. One person kept her schedule free because she had said she was going to come. She is a rockstar in my book now. I decided to scrap the drive in movie idea and the two of us would just go see a movie somewhere close by, then continue on with the party plans afterwards. As I went to pick her up my car broke down. I had to get it towed and then go out to the Burbank airport to pick up a rental. Enter two more rockstar friends: they were able to pick us up and drive me to pick up the rental. So, after the car fiasco we get back to my apartment and I start sending out the texts to let people know they can come on over. One after another I get the responses. More excuses. More things coming up. More messages making me feel like a pretty lame person.
Thankfully my closest friends began to show up and the fun took off. As I sat looking around my living room with tears in my eyes from so much laughter I knew that I was lucky to have this core group of people. I do have good friends.
I know it's not about the number of people of friends, but it's who. And some people really did have a good reason to not be there. But nothing deflates your excitement for a party (especially a birthday party you are throwing for yourself) like a crap load of messages from people saying they have something else they would rather do.
I have now officially given up on planning any party or event. I'm done. Everyone is so busy here it is nearly impossible to get people together. And hardly anyone really responds to you. I don't care if it's a "yes" or a "no", just let me know. It's like people being late. I hate to be late and I hate it when people are late. It says you have a lack of respect for that person's time.
This is a lonely town. We are all so focused on our own career building that we loose sight of the people next to us. In a town where our ego is beaten daily, we need to be reaching out and supporting each other. But this is not that kind of town.
It's reminder that I don't want to settle down here. Like dating that popular guy with all the money- it's fun for awhile just to "see what it's like", but you know he's not for you. This town has a lot to offer career wise but I feel that's too empty and cold for me. I want to connect with people on a real level.
But this is Hollywood baby, it's only screen deep.

A Few Things

I wonder how many people start out their blog posts "sorry I haven't updated sooner but..."
That's what I was thinking...then figured I appologize enough on a daily basis. So I won't do it now or here.

The other day there was a lady that was dancing while she waited in line. Actually I wouldn't call it "dancing". More like twirling in place while she kept count. She was completely serious too. The other customers in line didn't know what to do. Everyone looked at eachother like "do you see this?!" Meanwhile my co-workers and I were trying not to bust up laughing....until she left. I know your trying to probably get ready for some audition, but it's weird and disturbing to other members when you waltz in the door singing.
I can relate to most of the people who come up to my window, but then you get some that are just on another planet. One lady, as she was looking for her deposit in her purse, got excited about finding her deoderant and started putting it on. While she had her arm lifted and was deoderizing herself she asked me if I thought they should get rid of pennies. I just told her maybe if they changed the way they priced things. Earlier that day a middle aged man came up to my window and the first thing he said was "wow! That's a really big zit on your forhead!". I was well aware I had a zit (which really wasn't that big) on my forehead seeing as I had just looked at it in the mirror while on my lunch break. I didn't know what to say so I just looked at him and asked him if he was making a deposit. By the end of the transaction he realized what he had said and appologized.
I think it's time I make a few confessions. I find it very theraputic. So here I go:
Yes, I will take longer with some customers so I can avoid certain people next in line. Yes, I will hurry a customer at my window so I can help the cute guys next in line. I will simply nod my head and smile even though I really could care less about your opinions on politics. When I tell you to go away 'cause you creep me out - no, I'm not flirting. I am not your therapist as much as I like helping people. I hate it when people come in the last minute we're open. Even if you think your giving me a compliment I don't take it as one when you tell me I look 12. No, you are not the first to think my parents couldn't make up their mind between Julie and Lisa for my name. Sometimes I hold my breath while helping people who smell bad. Do you think no one notices that your driver's license picture was taken at least 25 years ago and you don't look like that anymore? You threatening to close your account only makes me want to close it more. If your going to be such a big baby and pain in the ass, I don't want to have to help you ever again. I will try to look busy if I see your next in line and your on your phone. I wish we had a dead phone zone in this bank.

Just a few little things and thoughts for the day.