Back to the Peacock

Jack: This year I'll be a page for a day, and you'll be my boss.

Kenneth: Thank you, sir.

Jack: That's how the "Bottom's Up" program works. I'm going to be your bottom, Kenneth, and I want you to ride me as hard as you can.

This week I found out I was accepted into the NBC Page Program. After seven months of email screenings, countless correspondence, and one face-to-face interview, I finally got the call: I got it! I am one of seven hopefuls who made it to the Promised Land.

The Page Program is a one-year program that allows recent college graduates to dabble in various departments at NBC. From programming to producing, pages are able to apply to positions that they are interested in, and if they are lucky, they will be hired to work as a page for a certain department for three months. If you are not placed on assignment, you work at Guest Relations, giving Universal lot tours and working as an audience usher for "The Tonight Show." I am most looking forward to wearing the thick polyester suit provided to each page during the summer (complementary dry cleaning for the win!)

Ever since my summer internship at NBC Publicity, I had been dreaming about returning as an actual employee for the company. I cannot express enough how much I enjoyed my internship every single day, and I cannot really explain why I was so happy. I'm not sure if I have necessarily found my calling in publicity, but I loved the corporate culture of NBC Universal, and I just had a blast every day I was there. Plus, I had free parking to Universal City Walk, which came in handy A LOT (kidding...not). The day I graduated from UGA, I had no guarantee that I would be accepted into the program. But I knew I would have had a better shot if I lived closer to NBCU... so I moved out to LA. I'm pretty relieved that everything has worked out, but I was going through a serious state of doubt and insecurity prior to this week. Did I really pick up and move when I don't even have the job secured? I took a huge risk, and it actually paid off. I can stop being so scared now.

Orientation is April 5. For a week, we train to become the best pages we can be. I'm looking forward to meeting my "classmates." We all come from different backgrounds and walks of life, but one thing is for sure, we have all come a long way in this arduous application process. The NBC Page Program selection process is no joke, and we can all say that we are survivors.

Tonight I celebrate with my boo. He has every reason to celebrate, too; he's emerged from the dark depths of dental school finals week. Quite excited :) Cheers to following your dreams! Or as my personal hero would say:

Earthquake

Too bad there was a 4.4 magnitude earthquake yesterday morning at 4am and I slept through it. That's probably for the best since I would have a) freaked out and b) lost more sleep than I already had that night.

SUCCESS

Monkey off my friggin' back.

I'd like to take this time to thank all those who allowed this to happen. Officer Huynh, what a great eye you had while I inadvertently ran that red light! And you had the honor of giving me my first ticket ever!  Kudos to you, sir. Kudos to you.

battle of the bulge

There comes a time in a romantic relationship where it's not just the two of you anymore. More often than not, two new friends (or as I'd like to call them "frenemies") rudely pop into the picture, uninvited and unpleasant. But they stay put and stick out like sore thumbs.

Or in this case, sore bellies.

I'm talking about the love pooches. Yes, the love pooch, the inevitable result of wanting to spend time together by going out to nice restaurants, breakfast in bed, snacks while watching movies. Basically just eating (and eating, and eating, and eating). Of course, I am not immune to this phenomena, and neither is he. After seeing how much my stomach has expanded over the past month, I decided that I needed to do something about it. But I wasn't going to suffer alone, so I persuaded him to suffer with me. D and I have decided to lose weight in a competitive manner, a "Biggest Loser," if you will. Whoever loses the most weight (percentage-wise according to our height and the fact that he's a guy) over the span of 3 months wins $100, cash or a gift worth the said sum. But if either of us achieves a 6-pack, he/she is the automatic winner. I'm a little nervous since I am pretty competitive when it comes to things that I can control (ie, my weight) but I've never been competitive with my boyfriend before. But I am looking forward to Mr. Benjamin in my wallet on June 22... muaha.

For now I am eating everything that I can before the official weigh-in next week. In-N-Out, Mexican food, ice cream, chocolate covered pretzels, and basically everything delicious before my body goes into full healthy mode. I am now kicking myself in the ass for leaving a nearly full pint of Haagen Dazs Coffee ice cream in his freezer. I won't have access to that treasure until AFTER the bet begins. Bah.

Aside from the hoopla, I am looking forward to really taking care of my body, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my life... with a booty and abs to match. When I think of body inspirations, I always think of one person, and one person only:

OG Britney. Doesn't get any better than this.

Let the games begin!

Are you there, Inspiration? It's me, Angela.

I know the Oscars were nearly a week ago, but I still cannot get over Demi Moore's gown.

Stun.ning.

Suddenly I'm turned on by pastels and light, flowy fabrics. Maybe it's because spring is just around the corner, but I cannot get enough lilacs, peaches and dewy goodness in my life. 

I wish I had more substance in what I had to say. My life has been lacking some serious inspiration, which is dumping a horrendous damper on the quality of my (mental) life. I never realized how much I was surrounded by new concepts and walks of life at my time in undergrad, until now of course. With a student population counting well over 30,000, I would say that every day on campus brought on a sensory overload of anything and everything imaginable. Politics, art, travel, music, diversity, you name it, there was always a promotional flier neatly printed on fluorescent paper, enticing a curious bystander to attend an introductory meeting (free food and t-shirts!) There was always room to explore, room to expand your mind. And I'm really starting to miss that. In fact, I'm starting to yearn for it.

It's not that I'm yearning for the past. You would think that moving cross country and starting a brand new life would bring new adventures, fresh ideas to the table. But I have been bogged down by adult responsibilities (eww) and other annoying little details that need to be ironed out... that I'm starting to lose my zeal, my passion for life. Isn't that terrifying? There is nothing scarier to me than no longer seeking adventures and all of the beautiful experiences life has to offer. I have no reason to doubt my abilities as a working professional, I have no reason to be unhappy. Yet there is just something missing, and I have a hunch that a great, big new adventure needs to happen before I burst into flames (thank you, Incubus). 

When I really think about it, I have my birthday to look forward to, which is always exciting. I love birthdays, especially when they're mine :P I try to play it off as if I'm too "old" to be excited about celebrating my birthday, but hell, who am I kidding. If there's gonna be food, dancin' and friends (and maybe a mojito or two) then I'm all for it. 

I don't want to seem like I'm complaining about my life, or that something is wrong. I'm just craving adventure, a creative explosion. Where do I find such things is the question. 

spring fever

I love spring. Plants blooming, floral prints, pastel colors. Everything is fresh. Spring is all about pretty. And I like pretty things. It's also the time of my birthday, but this year I have decided that I do not want to turn 22. Being 21 is just too much fun. Sorry 22. It's just not your year.

Natural model. 

 downtown la.

My life in bullets

• I relocated to Pasadena, CA to pursue my dreams. What I got was a bitch-slap from reality. I'm a grown-up??
• Currently working as an accounts payable manager at Fleur't, Inc. Gimme your monies.
• Did an internship stint in celebrity PR. Realized the Hollywood world is not for me. In fact, it's a tad revolting, and I can't live with a clear conscience knowing that I am feeding into the cycle.
• Living in California is expensive. Really, really expensive. Getting cut off from your parents is a sobering fact of life.
• But it's so worth it when all of the best musicians are usually guaranteed to stop in LA for tours.
• Life=work work work. play play play. Squeeze in some sleep, and you're set.
• My body can no longer handle weather lower than 70 degrees.
• LA radio stations play the same 5 songs. More often than not, simultaneously.
• Bad Romance- Lady Gaga
• Tik Tok- Ke$ha
• Nothin' on You- B.O.B.
• Carryout- Timberland/Timberlake
• Bedrock- Young Money
• If I hear any of those songs again, I will put my head through my windshield.
• I still can't believe the Saints won the Superbowl.
• I went to the golf range for the first time. Needless to say, I was awesomely bad. But I never thought playing golf could be fun!
• Got pulled over for the first time in my life. Received a traffic violation for the very first time in my life. Grand total= $496. You rock, Orange County Police Department!
• I'm getting used to sportin' shorter hair. But I'll probably grow it out. I'm a long hair kinda gal.
• Family is the greatest. If they love you, that is.
• When the universe gives you a second chance that you have been waiting for, take it.