ROCKIN' DOWN THE HIGHWAY

      Okay, LA people. What the heck is up with none of y'all being able to drive? Like, SERIOUSLY!

     On Wednesday, I was out running some errands around town and LITERALLY every boneheaded driving move that can be made WAS MADE BY THE DRIVERS AROUND ME! It's like, come on people, I understand that sometimes you make a mistake or you have poor judgment. But this was INSANITY. I literally was yelling at them in my car. Like...

-Homegirl is supposed to stop at her stop sign. I'm there first. She goes basically right through it, so good thing I'm a defensive driver.

-Dude finds a parking spot, but instead of slowing down and using his turn signal he just stops and then just starts turning into the spot. But, like let me in on this secret. What do LA people have against turn signals? What did a turn signal ever do to you?

-Man in a very large truck (most likely with a very small penis) is on my ass at every stop sign. Like, is it necessary for you to make me feel guilty about making more of a complete stop than most other people do? I'm not gonna sit there for 5 minutes, but let me at least show the stop sign some respect and slow down for it.

-Some idiot in a teeny tiny car is driving so fast, that when I make a right turn into his lane, he decides he can't wait two seconds for me to speed up and then weaves in and out of both lanes until he gets to the lights- which, may I add, I'm right behind him for all them.

-Amigo on the freeway decides he is going to change lanes a bit after I do, but he isn't paying attention and almost side-swipes me. No WONDER the freeways here freak me out! Blind spots and 5 lanes and people not paying attention!! I used my turn signal, you dumbass!

     At any moment in time, if you listened to a recording of me in the car by myself, I'd either be harmonizing along to the radio or calling some lady a dumb bitch for doing something stupid. I'll usually be like, "Oh, okay, honey, well if you don't want to stop, then you should just go right ahead then. Please." Oh and one more thing. Pedestrians? I don't care if you are homeless, 100 years old, on a bike, or walking in stilettos but GET THE EFF OUT OF THE ROAD IF YOU DON'T SEE THE LITTLE WHITE PERSON. Why you gotta make me miss my ENTIRE green light because you walk really slow and decided you'd just make a go for it whenever your little heart desired. Guess what? You got a little brain too. And it's not working for me. I'll give you the right of way most times. But I expect a little courtesy and respect too. You watch out for me, I'll watch out for you.

 I'm sorry, but this all just had to come out. I can't handle all the crazy sometimes! Especially with the crazy I deal with at my job! I'm in the market for a second job...I'm on the lookout for something like an administrative assistant position at a music company. Because I can't have the restaurant be my only source of income anymore...I'm not making as much money and I just can't remain the friendly, nice, caring person I know I am when these hoes are bringing me down on a constant basis.

L

IT'S BEEN A WHILE...

Oh, hello there lost blog readers. If you're still out there, that is. 

    To give an update, I'm still at the same old job, still getting treated like the rug under peoples' dirty shoes, and still not making the money I could/should be making. Look, I get it. At the end of the day, its a job. But I'm kind of over it. I'd love to work at a music company, so I'm looking into that for January. In the meantime, I'm discovering ways to jump-start my career however odd or improbable they may seem. Gotta do something because living month to month was just NOT what I signed up for.

  Thank goodness for all the wonderful, fun and kind people in my life, because you keep me going. I've written a few new songs lately, which will be added to the list of "possibilities for the next record." The BF and I are seeing Toto tomorrow, which I'm SUPER pumped about. I thought they weren't touring anymore so when I heard on the radio they were going to be on Jack FM's "7th Show" I looked around online and found they were performing at a SoCal casino! I probably will be the youngest person in the room, but who cares? Getting to see your favorite bands is the coolest thing ever. Who knows if/when they will ever tour again? Steely Dan was so worth the $125. Toto will be awesome. Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, Mat Kearney, Maroon 5, Sia, etc. I hate spending money on concerts, because usually they aren't pre-planned into my budgets, but I LOVE going to concerts. There's nothing like live music...unless you have to stand all night and then I usually wish I were lying in bed listening to the recording. I'm sorry, but I just can't enjoy a concert standing up like I can enjoy one sitting down. You're able to relax and just let the music surround you.

  I recently read this book called "White Girl Problems" which wasn't what I was expecting but was an enjoyable fluff read all the same. My sister always says that I have "rich white girl problems" which of course is a problem in itself seeing as though I am not rich. At this juncture, actually, very far from it. I've been doing alright budgeting my money and whatnot, its just that I always want for things, which I guess is okay, but in this town it seems like everyone is all about instant gratification, and everyone just calls Dad and Grampy-pants for money and its all gravy. Look, I get it. That's awesome that you have some cushion there. And I know if something terrible were to happen, of course my family would help me out financially. But apart from bomb-ass birthday gifts, I don't want handouts. Yeah, it would be difficult for me to afford my contact lenses and health insurance at this point. But I wouldn't want to be so lax about my income/job/financial situation that I get fired left and right and always think/hope my family is going to pick up the pieces of MY mistakes. When do we start holding ourselves accountable for our own successes and our own failures?

  I've been participating in a monthly book club, which is really fun. Its a group of girls of varying tastes and intellect, which is cool. Each month is sort of a gossipfest/book club/potluck sort of deal, and I've been trying out new recipes each month which has been really fun. This month I made a Devil's Food Cake with Hazelnut Crunch from Bon Appetit. It was really good, although I would make some modifications if I decided to make it again. I think next month I'm going to make something savory. Our next book is Angela's Ashes. I've heard of it, but it was never something I particularly wanted to read. We'll see how it is!

   I've also gotten sick of gaining weight and not being able to fit into all the lovely things in my closet that I spent good money on. I've decided on Sundays, I'm going to make a meal plan for the week, and then I'll shop and prep stuff on Mondays, which I usually have off from work. So far, I've made Italian Wedding Soup with whole wheat orzo which is one of my fave soups, and i froze 4 little containers for the next week or so. I made Cilantro-Lime Chicken the other night and OH GEEZ. I don't even really LOVE chicken, but this was OH SO GOOD. Trying to eat more veggies, snack on healthier things, and not eat out/get fast food as much. Like almost never. I'd like to maybe do one night out to a decent restaurant a month, and then other than that, just make meals in. I didn't realize how much money I was spending on food outside the kitchen until last month, and it was crazy. Not only is it not good for my body, its not good for my bank account. So no more of that.

   Looking forward to taking my trips home for Turkey Day and then to the BF's home in December. Vacations are always nice, but I think these will be much needed and really good for us. 

   Definitely going to start blogging more again (its so therapeutic!) but in the meantime, keep an eye on my twitter and youtube to see what I'm to! Big shout-out to all of you who believe in me! Love you!

xL

twitter.com/lizzpotter
youtube.com/user/lizzpotter

THIS, THAT AND THE NEXT THING

I don't even know where to start. It has certainly been a while since I last tried to put some thoughts down.

Watching a certain singing show got me to thinking. I won't name any names or anything, but I may go off right now. TAKE COVER!

First off, like I just posted on twitter..."People. Weird and different are not always synonyms for good. Talent is talent. Weird and different are just weird and different." Not that weird and different aren't good sometimes, but come ON. Just because you sound like nobody else does not NECESSARILY mean that you are talented. EMOTION, PEOPLE. Emotion is a big deal. And actually being able to sing the notes in your song helps too. Look, I get it. If you are cute, people listen and pay attention. That's great. But ya gotta be able to look beyond that. Our industry needs some POWER. And that means REAL artists who can perform well but also sing their asses off. Also, just because you can run all over town and scream does not necessarily mean you are talented. Thank you, the few people in this world who tell it like it is.

ANYWAY onto other things. BF and I moved into a new apartment in February and although its not perfect, its what we need for the time being. Meanwhile, I'm still at a job that I'm not enthralled with. Some days, it takes everything I have not to have a freak-out. I have been booking gigs and preparing for my next career move. I'm getting off my ass and starting to make things happen for myself. I made a goal list starting with my end-game and moving backwards. I'm tackling the little things, and I'll work my way up to the big things. I've got a solo gig at Lola's on Wed. April 11 (Gotta figure out my set list- depends on what I feel comfortable playing myself!!) and a gig with my friends and co-worker Paul Haasch at Genghis Cohen on April 23 (AHHHH again gotta get a set list going and touch base with my musicians!) But I'm excited because I'm going to be performing again and working towards my goals. I've been eating healthier, will be eating even more healthier and I'm establishing a firmer gym schedule. I figure getting on a better schedule, eating healthy, going to the gym and making music will make me feel better and hate my current daily grind a little less.

Okay, more later. !!

Lizz

WE GOTTA WORK IT OUT

What's up, party people?

It has been a WHILE. Sorry for the delay. Y'all know how much I like being on here! Anyway, an update. Still working at my job where I work my bum off for foreigners to leave me crap tips all day. Yay.

In other news, I have recently been given some information about possibly furthering my career, so I'm utilizing it and trying some new things. There are so many of my peers out there doing the things I WANT to be doing so I'm not going to hold back-I'm just going to do it!

Do you ever wish there were more hours in a day? I do, like, all the time. I mean, you wake up, you do the ish you gotta do and then you sleep. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Try and fit some fun things in. Make some money. Enjoy your life. Surround yourself with people you love. I am trying to save money but also trying to save sanity and therefore trying to work only 5 days a week if possible. I try to take an hour here to watch Rookie Blue (guilty pleasure, sorry) or an hour there to read Cosmo and find out about some stupid sex move that you KNOW they've printed in the last seven months' issues as well, but they move a few words around and all of a sudden missionary position just sounds SO newfangled and exciting!! Trying to make time for everything can be so exhausting. I've got a list in front of me right now and exactly none of the many cells in my body are moving to cross anything off. You ever add stuff to your list that you've already done just so you can cross it off and FEEL accomplished? It's okay, me too.

BF and I just started this ten week bootcamp Wednesday. We meet at 7:15 in a park in LA and basically don't stop moving for an hour. We do circuit training, a bunch of cardio bursts and different muscle workouts. Phew! Two days in and I'm exhausted but also feel like a creaky 80-year-old every time I try to stand. (Note to self:maybe try stretching for more than say, twenty seconds). She makes us do push-ups in the soggy ground. (BF goes to me: "You've got dirt all over you." Me:"No shit! I just spent a minute practically making love to this soggy ground!) We do a bunch of stuff, including racing each other in teams. (C'mon, just 'cuz I can still wear my high school cross country t-shirt doesn't mean I've been running marathons, people). We love us some walking lunges and did this thing yesterday called "fire quads." (We thought she said fire crotch; I was expecting something a little more interesting). Basically, you and your partner have a resistance band and one of you runs up the hill backward while the other pulls you by the resistance band. About as much fun as having a piece of chocolate cake taken away from you just as you got to take a bite. Actually, no worse. It's a good workout; better than I thought. I may or may not go to the gym after some days. We'll see. Maybe at night if I work a day shift. I would like to take the yoga and dance classes they offer, get some use out of the $50 I spend a month. I'm changing gyms in January and getting a total deal. No, I am. Because if you can't give me $30 a month or cheaper, I'll bring my slightly smaller ass somewhere else. I know working out in LA is like breathing, but jeez! We're all struggling actors/musicians/etc! Give us all a break! Also, a word to the wise:Don't join Gold's Gym unless they give you the price and amenities that you want. I pay $50, which is basically for all the classes even though they do have a bunch of equipment. No pool, no sauna, no steam room. They try and get you to buy personal training sessions while you're telling them you're paying off a credit card. They stare you down until you feel you can't leave without buying sessions. They give you all this crap about supplements when the fact of the matter is, you don't need 'em. Eat healthy and work out and you'll be good to go. You don't wanna be super jacked, right? Okay, then you don't need that shit. I WILL say that the manager at the gym I go to is super nice and is looking to rectify situations in which her employees maybe crossed a line, which is good. But apart from her and the guy that I signed up with, I think they're a bunch of a-holes looking to get you to spend all your money. So just don't.

Well, I'm going to attempt to cross a few things off my list. TTFN and Imma try to make this a regular thing! It's like therapy but cheaper.

-Lizz xoxo

FOLLOWING THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD

Hey, y'all...

I know it's been a while, and it is due in part to the fact that I am a fickle friend. To real people and to this internet blog. I always say I'll call; that I'll set up a date and then oops! Six weeks later, and I'm still nowhere closer to winning that friend of the year award. So first off, to all of you that I've neglected these last few months, know that it isn't personal. I'm trying to find balance in my life among financial struggles, trying to survive and falling in love.

AAAnd while we're on the topic, let's get something straight. Some people would say it's not wise to discuss one's personal life on a supposed work-centric forum. And if I were Katy Perry, I might agree with them. But, at least for now, I'm NOT her, and there are certainly no paparazzi banging on my door for the latest scandal involving me and my lovah. Plus, for me, my music life and my personal life have always been very much intertwined, so I may as well speak on the both of them.

Without going into too much detail, my boyfriend is wonderful and I am very much enjoying spending time with him and getting to know all the little things that make him who he is. I give credit to him, partially, for getting me out of my writing slump and helping me to see that there are certainly many things to live for. I had a period of bleak uncertainty after my father passed when I questioned everything and everyone and my writing was going nowhere. Being with my boyfriend offered me a new outlook on life and happiness. Also, getting back into the gym, meeting new people at work and learning to find the positive in each negative experience has helped goad me back into happy territory. I think since I've moved to LA I've learned a lot more about myself too, and I'm learning to be a grown-up. I certainly won't win an adult-of-the-year trophy either, but I'm getting there. It's all a learning process, which leads me to...

My new song. It's about my boyfriend, a major duh! if you couldn't figure THAT one out. So far, I'm getting great feedback. (Leave some of your own! It's called "...With You" and it's on my youtube channel). This song has been in the works for about a month, usually a bit longer than it takes me to get a song that I like where I want it to be. As an artist, it can be hard figuring out whether something you've created sounds good or great, and whether it will have appeal to anyone besides you. Sometimes you feel you can't quite find the right words, or capture the right emotions (or sometimes it takes six songs to get down everything you feel). Putting your creations out there is one of the most terrifying feelings in the world, REGARDLESS of whether you're Katy Perry and everyone knows who you are and is waiting for you to fail. Getting great positive feedback on this newest creation has lifted my confidence and enabled me to fear getting back out on the scene a lot less. I'm starting to plan writing sessions into my days, and I'm trying some different approaches. Whatever way it comes out, my followers and fans can always expect consistency from me: I tell it like it is. I don't smooth over the rough, and I don't dampen the joy at all.

So to anybody paying attention, watch out. Big things are coming for me, little by little, just you wait. Let's all try and find the happiness in each day and put it forward into the world.

Love you all!

Lizz

PUTTING THE HO IN HOLIDAYS

People are either at their worst or their best during then holiday season. There's just no middle ground whatsoever. I should know; for the last couple of weeks I've been surrounded by evil stressed-out mommies, last minute shoppers and 'roided-out foreign men. For me, these people have been putting the "HO" in holidays and making them horrible for me. And as if the days leading up to Christmas weren't enough, people feel the need to abuse this ho-ey attitude up to and through New Year's. Valentine's Day DOESN'T count as a real holiday, people!! Let's be done with the overt rudeness and crappy attitudes by Dec. 31, okay?? All your resolutions should be to act nicer to the all the people in the service industry that help you out on a daily basis.

Some examples of the chaos I've been dealing with lately:

A woman is talking loudly on her cell phone in Spanish and asking me to help her out in Spanglish, all the while I can't get her attention and I can't really tell if she's talking to me or the person on the other line. She expects me to help her while she's on her phone.

A man answers to the name Nathalie, party of 4 while on the phone but once I've brought him and his girlfriend over to their table, I asked, "So, you're expecting two more?" And of course they say no. I ask, "You're not Nathalie party of 4?" And so the girlfriend rolls her eyes at the idiot guy and says, "Baby, why did you answer to Nathalie? I'm so sorry. Put the phone down!" See? If women ran the world...

It starts to get really windy outside, and of course no one wants to sit outside. I take a man, his pregnant wife, and their small daughter out to the terrace, and they say they want to sit inside. I tell them, like I've been coached, that it will be at least 15 minutes for a table inside. They sit down at a random table inside and I tell them that unfortunately we're saving that particular table, and that I need them to follow me back to the front desk. They start bitching at me, getting seriously pissed off, saying, "But we have a small daughter! I'm pregnant!" As if those are two things I wouldn't have noticed. If she'd said "But I have a small mole on my foot! I've got turberculosis!" Those may have been two things I would NOT have noticed right away. Thanks, Captain Obvious. So I tell them I'll grab a manager to explain the situation, apologizing profusely the whole time and trying very hard not to scream and wring this woman's neck. SO then I talk to my manager and he tells me it's not worth fighting with them, so I should just leave them there. So now I look like a HUGE ASSHOLE not only for arguing with a pregnant woman but also for telling them no and then my boss telling them yes.

Several ladies come in on Christmas Eve Day, and ask for 3 dozen vegan cupcakes, and are more than a little offput by the fact that it takes an additional 5 MINTUES to frost that number for them. They didn't call ahead or anything, they just came in and expected us to have that number of VEGAN cupcakes.

I seat this man and woman at a (I'll admit, rather small) table and they immediately start bitching at me that they want a booth (a commodity they did NOT ask for when they put their name in). So I tell them it may be at least 15 minutes, and that they will need to follow me back up to the front desk, because we need the table they are at for another party. So they don't really tell me what they want, but continue to sit there. They decide to just take the next booth that opens up, even though we never told them they could and they never told us that they indeed wanted to move. We have to tell them that unfortunately, they can't just take any table they damn well please. It would be a freaking mess if that's the way we ran things. Duh.

A man and a woman are led outside to a table, but they wish to sit inside. I tell them to follow me back up to the front desk so I can get them a table inside. The man decides to sit at a high top table, which are self-seating. Ten minutes later, the woman is still sitting outside, and the man is at the high top table. Both have ordered drinks and have no fucking clue that the other is at a different table. Talk about bad communication.

And I could literally go on for days and days but I don't have the physical capacity to re-live all these events. So go ahead, yuck it up, and just be glad if you haven't suffered through HALF of these experiences.

xoxo

MOM'S ROCK

Okay, so this is what I saw emblazoned across the front of a T-shirt for sale at the Children's Place today. I read it to myself, and instantly rolled my eyes. If there's one thing I do well, it is look into store windows. Actually, usually I actually go in and buy things and only have buyer's remorse later when the credit card bills come rolling in, but I digress...So yes, here it is, on a table with other shirts just like it, the "Mom's Rock" shirt. It was folded but I'm assuming there was not a graphic of a big diamond ring that this so-called "Mom" would have worn on her finger. Plus, what child is bragging about "Mom's Rock?" 5-year-olds could give a shit about color, clarity and carats. So, we are led to believe that this national children's store chain has used improper grammar on a T-shirt they sell to consumers in their stores. This is pretty un-fucking believable to me. Number one, what company doesn't get someone to edit their graphics before printing them on thousands of products? Number two, this shirt is now going into the hands of dumb adults and impressionable children, and this will lead them to incorrectly overuse the dreaded apostrophe. Some may think I'm taking this a little too seriously, but don't you think it shows the depth of how far idiocy spans here in the U.S.? We're already overspending and obese, we can't really afford to add all-around dumbass to that list. No wonder every other country despises us. Well. Enough about that, but seriously, if you are writing anything for the public eye you should watch your spelling and your grammar. If you can't spell and your shit's all over the place, even if you are the greatest writer in the world or are selling the world's greatest product, people WILL think less of you. So go back to sixth grade and pay attention this time. It's not too hard. "Mom's Rock" is referring to the rock that belongs to Mom. "Moms Rock" is telling mothers everywhere how awesome they are. See?? Two VERY VERY different meaning.

On a completely unrelated note, today one of my coworkers was talking about how he was going home for a few days but that it wouldn't really be a vacation. I asked him why, and he said, "You know, because I have to perform for my family and all." To which I replied, " Really? My family sees me at my absolute worst..." And this started me thinking. How nice is it to have a family that tells it like it is but isn't pointing out all your flaws or inability to be thrillingly successful? My family doesn't judge me, but takes me at face value: when I'm sad, when I'm angry, when I'm hurt, when I'm elated. I never have to lie to my family, or gloss over the bad parts of my life. I never feel like I have to pretend to be someone I'm not. They support me 100% in what I do, and never inquire as to why I'm still single, or why I don't weigh 125 pounds, or why my hair is usually a hotmess. They take me for me, and let me know that they love me just the way I am. Everyone should have such a family that knows and has known so much love that they always feel at home when they are with each other. My father always instilled in us the fact that it was important to be kind to and love your siblings. I'm SO glad that this was such an important thing for him to share with us, because look at us now! I live 3000 plus miles away but I keep in touch with my family on a very consistent basis. I love them all so so much and I am so happy to have them all in my life.

So I leave you with this. This holiday season, tell your family and friends and all the people you love just how much they mean to you. They may know it, but sometimes saying it out loud can reaffirm the feeling for someone when they really need it. We only get one go 'round at this thing called life, so we might as well surround ourselves with wonderful people who make US better people. Live long, and prosper!! And love with all your little hearts.

Happy Holidays and talk to you all in the New Year!!

xoxo

Lizz