I bought a one way ticket to Los Angeles from Texas and packed two suitcases full of everything they could possibly hold (i.e.: clothes and shoes – a girl needs necessities, right?). The rest of my belongings were stored away in my mom’s garage waiting for their chance for a California get away.I didn’t really know anyone in LA and I didn’t have any jobs lined up. What was I going to do? Where was I going to live? I didn’t know. All I knew was that I needed to get out of Texas before it was too late and I was doomed to live a life of normalcy working for a big oil company for the rest of my life. I left with a glimmer of hope and $100 in my pocket. That was enough for me…
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Once in LA I was able to stay on a friend’s couch for a little over a month while I got my life together. I had found a job working as a full time assistant manager selling organic body lotions and makeup at the mall. It definitely wasn’t the dream job I had hoped for, nor was it something a young woman in her mid twenties with a college education thought she would be doing at this age, but it earned me a paycheck. When I wasn’t working, I was out making new friends and contacts…
I happened to know a family friend who took it upon himself to guide me in the right direction by taking me to parties with him and introducing me to industry professionals. He works as a post production producer on such artist’s albums as John Mayer, Maroon 5, etc. It was a random turn of events when I ran into a friendly and somewhat familiar face at an after party at Teddy’s. He was a world renowned DJ that I used to go see in Texas back in the day when techno pumped through my blood. We quickly became friends and I had the honor of attending the roast of Gene Simmons at the Key Club with him…
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Enter my savior and angel, a woman from this point on we will refer to as C. C and I spent the night indulging in vodka drinks and discussing rock and roll. She asked me what brought me to LA from Texas. I told her that honestly I wasn’t sure, but I thought that I might want to work as an entertainment publicist. Well what do you know, but fate had her eyes set on following me I suppose, because C just so happened to work at a PR firm. She gave me her card and asked me to send over a resume. She’d help me if she could. Now to someone in Idaho who may be reading this entry, you may think – WOW! She’d done it! That sounds promising and exciting! Unfortunately, the usual case if you’re out in LA is that about 10 people a night will give you their card…
All of which will tell you to email them. Every single one will claim they will help you in whatever way they can. Most of these people are so loaded on alcohol that by tomorrow morning there is a slim to none chance that they will ever remember meeting you. Sorry kids, but that’s the truth…and LA for you. However, this chance meeting was not the case and said individual was not full of proverbial BS. In fact, she sent my resume to a partner in the firm and one month later I had an interview for an assistant position working in the entertainment division…
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Before I was able to move my way up, move into a better apartment, and establish myself, I was a mall employee who could barely pay her bills. I walked to work one day in fifty degree rain. It took me an hour and I was soaking wet by the time I arrived. I ate ramen noodles every single day for nearly 6 months. If I ever see that stupid, orange package again I may hurt some
