Leah's Story

I am totally bummed right now.

I didn’t wake up sad. I woke up happy. It’s Friday. It’s sunny out. My schedule is light today. Yoga class and accupuncture are the only reasons I have to leave the house.

It was a good morning.

 Until my phone rang..got a call from my Co-Host and Stage Manager over at The Hard Rock and they no longer are going to have me down there 2x a week co-hosting and collecting donations for the spotlight charity.

Management recently changed our format, and instead of travelling around from table to table collecting donations, there’s now a table set up out front, and it’s just not as effective. Which means, our weekly donations are lower, a lot lower.

So, in an effort to raise the donation level back up, my gig will be handled by a few of the already existing staff (hence my additional pay, goes back into the charity pot).

It makes total sense from a managerial standpoint where the bottom line is money.

I’m really, truly bummed though as this was a gig I excel and shine at. The staff on the ground-floor were amazing people to work with, treated me like gold every time I got there. I met a ton of cool new bands, and even got to share the stage with some grammy winning artists (Matchbox 20, Lifehouse, Everclear).

The good news is, I found out since I started at The Hard Rock 2 months ago, we raised over $3500 for our previous spotlight charity, “VH1’s Save The Music”, and special thanks to my awesome lady friends who covered a few shifts and contributed to raising money for this awesome cause {Denise Vasquez, Tanya Perez, & Kristyn Burtt}. You all rock.

This gig combined three of my life passions; Hosting, Music, and Charity and I’m seriously bummed.

I really felt at home there, and could see it going for a long-time, and on a larger scale… *sigh*

Like ready to shed a tear, bummed.

I love hosting.. love.. :

(side note: And at this point in my #gypsymode-just-sold-all-of-my-life-belongings-to-survive-a-little-longer-out-here, this gig was my only reliable income for the past 2 months, and the foreseable future, and the only income that I could look to to almost help me make a rent payment when I find my new place. )

And maybe it’s not so much this particular gig (although mostly), I’m definitely feeling the pangs of really wanting my life, my income, my gigs to be stable. I mean, sure, anyone in any career can get blindsided and let go from a gig out of the blue, but none so much as the entertainment biz…

I’d be lieing if I didnt say one hand is reaching for the towel. Thirteen years is a long time to keep falling off the balance beam, waiting for all of the judges to give you a perfect 10 at the same exact time, so that you can get that gold medal on the pedestal.

XOXO

*Written for my weekly post over at www.talknerdytomelover.com *

The past 2 weeks have hands-down been the toughest 2 weeks of my life.

I had a yard-sale where I watched strangers pick through my life’s belongings.  It was not easy selling the boom-box I’ve had since age 12 for $5 or the silver sparkly pants I wore to the Prince concert in Vegas for $3 but there was a goal in sight.

And that goal was to get rid of as much as humanly possible as gypsy mode aka no permanent home aka staying with friends till I find the perfect place was about to begin.

I did it.  I sold all my furniture and a ton of things.  Between YardSale, Craigslist, and Ebay I made about $800.. not a tremendous amount of money but every bit helps.

The day of the yardsale I happened to get a postcard from the Vietnam Veterans Association looking for FURNITURE donations!  YES!  So what didnt sell, my bookcase, my childhood desk, a dresser, and a few other items plus a few bags of kitchen goods was all donated to the Vets. 

The next task was to schedule a UHaul to take the remainder of my items over my good friends Angela/Andy’s garage for safe-keeping until I have a new home.  This wouldn’t have been very difficult except at the last minute I booked an incredible gig as a Production Runner (aka driver in this case), for the band Coldplay.

This was an amazing gig, filled with amazing people, and GREAT pay, however my hours were pretty much 8am-1am every night last week…. which sort of put a kink into the pick up Uhaul, pack and unload Uhaul, and move my things over to my friend Amanda’s (stop one on the gypsy tour).

I’m still in shock that I achieved all of the above, while working 16 hour days Mon-Friday.  But thanks to some amazing friends; Bart Williams, Aaron Kronis, Donnie Marhefka, and Andy Mackenzie; the U-Haul was picked up, packed and unloaded, all without me being present.  Talk about being a LUCKY GIRL!!   I want to cry everytime I think about the four of them handling that stuff for me while I worked.

Would have never happened without them.

I was still left with the task of moving my last items and my cats from Studio City to West Hollywood…  lucky for me, my previous landlord is perhaps the coolest landlord in the world, and on the 1st when I explained my work schedule, she simply said.. let me know when you’re all out.

By 1am on May 3rd (after working all day), I finally managed to get the last of my things, and my kitties over to West Hollywood. 

On the morning of May 4th, my bday, I got up at 7am eand went for one final last look before heading to work.  I got the last of the trash out and said my goodbyes to the little townhouse on Barham that has held my hopes, dreams, laughter, tears, family, and friends, safe for the last seven years.  It’s such a beautiful little spot.. but I knew it was time to let it go. 

Many offers of new roommates came in over the 6 weeks since I put in my notice, but I knew I needed to stick to this decision. It was time to move on and let go… one of the big things I was holding onto was a romantic partner.  After my initial roommate moved out, and left me with the place, I always thought it would be a perfect “starter home” for a couple in love, a perfect place to co-habitat before marriage and before buying a home together.  That dream never materialized.. and it was time to let it go.  Goodbye 3252 Barham.

I spent my birthday at the Hollywood Bowl for another 16hr day with Coldplay.  I can’t say it was the best birthday ever, there was no cake or candles, there were no presents to unwrap, or friends to hug, but I will never forget this time period in my life.  A van full of British guys sang Happy Birthday to me, Production gave me some pretty flowers, I got to talk to my BFF on the phone for awhile,  400+ friends and family sent me FB and Twitter love, and my new PO Box was overflowing with the most thoughtful Bday Cards I’ve ever recvd from my mom, both sisters, my grandmom and my aunt.  I dont know how long they searched for the perfect cards but they found them.  

Financially, I’ve made more money in the past 3 weeks then I have in the past 3months, and was able to pay off everything I owed to my landlord and utilities before moving out.. and that feels great!

And now… I am living in a spare bedroom in West Hollywood.  It’s a great neighborhood, right behind the Laugh Factory on Sunset, but it is not home.  It is my friends home, and I am occupying the spare room until her new roommate moves in in a few weeks…. at that time, me and the kitties will move again.

I’ve had a few leads, I’ve seen a few places, and magical opportunities continue to present themselves.  I know something big is shifting, something awesome is right around the corner.  And I know that I’ve done the work, I’ve prepared, I’m a good person with a great heart and one of the most loyal people you will ever meet.

My journey is upon me…

(Ideally I’m looking for a guest house situation. $700 max Kitty Friendly)

                                               Live Love. Love Life.
                                                        XOXOX

**Written for my column “Adventures in Randomness & Rock N’ Roll” at www.TalkNerdyToMeLover.com **
*

I’m in the process of moving out of the town house I’ve lived in for 7 out of my 13 years in LA.  That’s longer than 1/2 the time here, and double the years spent in college or high school.  That’s a long time.

All sorts of ups and downs and emotions to experience.  7 days till gypsy mode begins.

Just had a lil moment of nostalgia…

My friend Candi Sansone, is an incredible hair and makeup artist for movies and rock music videos based. She’s based out of Chicago, we have been dieing to work with each other for at least 5 years if not longer, but alas our projects have yet to be in the same city.

Upon seeing that www.JediCamp.com was hiring for our shoot on May 5th & 6th, Candi offered to fly herself out here for the gig, as long as she could “crash with me”.

*Sigh*  I had to say no.

And that my friends, is something I have never done.  I absolutely adore when friends and family come to “crash” (or visit) me in my little townhouse here on Barham.

For the past 7 years, I have been “the” place to crash. 

The summer of 2009 my High School friend Mika stayed here off and on for a few months, while she was exploring a relationship with a guy she met here in LA, before uprooting her, her family, and her career from PA.  It was nice to have her occasional visits that summer.  She lives in Silver Lake now. They got married.

My friend Trisha stayed here off and on most of 2010. She lived in Phoenix and was flying into LA once a month or so to get her Real Estate Liscense.

I’ve had at least a 1/2 dozen friends stay here for a few months before transitioning to another place or city…

And yes, I’ve even had the occasional out of town band staying here.  One summer, not too long ago, New Past Life and another band the singer was managing, crashed here.  I think there were 7 or 8 ppl on my living room floor.

And when Marilyn stayed with me.  Well, that summer, I had a boy in my bed and a boy on my couch.
lol

True Story.

Anyways…  it was the way I was brought up.  My parents always had an open door policy. From friends to family, if someone needed a place to stay, no matter what the reason, they could stay with us. 

I enjoyed being that person for the past 7 years.  And I’m so thilled to look back at the many, many, old friends and new friends that have crashed with me over the years.

Ahhhh…. and now, I must get ready for Trivia Night with the @TNTML staff.

#7DaysToGypsyMode 

For More On Gypsy Mode: aka why I’m moving: http://leahcevoli.tumblr.com/post/21042677917/lettinggo