Chasing Dreams and Cat Shenanigans: A Hollywood Tale

I truly followed my heart fearlessly to the very core, no matter what the naysayers were saying. I feel as I’ve gotten older though, that I’ve lost sight of this a little. But I’m awakening back to the fact that this is crucial in your journey to success, no matter what you do. I don’t know if it’s just age and having so many more responsibilities that start to allow fear to creep in. Or maybe it is the journey and the different experiences I’ve had that have jaded me. But no matter what, I’m learning and in the deep process of releasing this from my energy.

I’ve always felt pretty fearless working on set and have flowed with where God would take me. But now that I’m starting my own business outside of the ‘norm’ path and wanting to share my knowledge and skills of the biz, I find myself second-guessing, holding back, allowing fear and the naysayers to creep in.

Starting a business online is a grander beast than I ever even imagined. I had no idea what it would entail. It’s definitely been a huge learning curve…especially coming from someone that has not been on social media for the last decade.

Aka ‘the dinosaur’ of social media. 🦖

It’s been so much but I definitely have come a long way and am so excited for what the future holds. Especially now that I’m feeling more confident and back in my old fearless skin.

All of this to say, it’s made me reflect on the beginning of my career. I remember my journey out of my small town, into a bigger city, Dallas TX and out on my own for the very first time. It was daunting but so exciting. I absolutely loved my cosmetology school, Toni&Guy, it literally is one of the best schools in the world.

After that journey, I got led to a makeup school in LA, so my next step was figuring out how I was going to make that happen. There definitely were some sacrifices but I figured it out and started my journey.

And a journey it was….

I moved back and forth from LA to Arkansas several times. I also was homeless at one point, couch surfing everywhere that I could. Luckily I was working on low-budget film school-type films where everyone was super nice and helpful. They literally saved me. I wish I could get a hold of every single one of them and say thanks again, 100 times over. I finally found a place to live, sharing a 1 bedroom with a roommate for a year. It had so many challenges but I worked my butt off 7 days a week to make it happen.

A month into my new living situation I found my cat who was my little angel. If you like cats, you would have loved my little man, Bandito. He was the coolest. He was so chill and never complained about being left alone. The perfect companion working such wild hours. At times he was the one that would tell me to feed him. Me running out the door at 4 am and he would stop me in his cool way. I swear he was my little guardian spirit animal. I’ve had that my whole life, but that is a blog within itself. If you guys are interested, let me know and I’ll write all about it! They started visiting me when I was two years old. Anyway, the point of me telling you this is that he was definitely there to protect me and be my companion.

To preface this next part, my life has always been like a movie.

My roommate at the time decided she was going to leave her contract two months early and stick me with someone she met on Craigslist, either that or not pay the rent. I refused over and over. She kept bringing me strange older men to share a one-bedroom!!! Can you believe that… Absolutely not!! So, one day I came home and there was a strange girl and her mom moved in. My old roommate was out and the new girl was already in. No heads up, nada. I of course was pissed! I wound up finding out that they met in a tanning salon where she worked….

And let me tell you, this chick was weird. She would never talk or look at me. But when my boyfriend was over she turned into this completely different person. My amazing guardian angel Bandito wound up not liking her either…he was stuck with her every day.

Here comes the movie scene…

One day I came home, sandwich in hand, I opened the door and my cat had dragged his poop alllll over her stuff. Seriously every single thing she owned. And to make it worse, everything she owned was white. SERIOUSLY completely white, no patterns, nothing. I was beside myself. It was like a montage sequence going through my mind.

I quickly threw him in the shower, luckily I had those sliding shower doors. He was pissed! Slammed his body up against the doors screaming. We both were screaming but at the same time I was praising him and was so proud of him. Haha. So after that I grabbed everything, took it to the laundry, and deep cleaned everything. We totally got away with it…..until….just wait for it… she had a brown teddy bear and I forgot to clean it! Later that evening I received a text, ‘Your cat shit on my bear!!!’ HAHAHAHAHAH I was rolling. How did I miss the bear!! To this day she still has no idea what happened to her stuff. But I will never forget it! One of the funniest moments of my life in LA!

Anyway, I know I dove deep into that story but hey, this blog is about opening up on my entire journey, the ups and downs of starting my life in LA, and trying to build my name in Hollywood. I might have to turn this one into a series….

After the horrible two months with that girl, me and my cat temporarily had to move in with six roommates. Which was a lot of fun actually. Then I got a two-bedroom with two guy friends for a year. And by the end of that year, my career was building enough to where I could move out on my own. I serendipitously found a little bungalow that was only $700!!

It was pure magic ✨

My goal during this time was to focus completely on building my career and saving every dollar I could. I had the biggest desire to purchase a home. And this my friends was the second pivotal point in my life where the power of my desires, intentions, and action-taking manifested my dream. I had never written down what I was dreaming but this time I did, unintentionally. I just wanted to look at it to motivate me every day.

In my living room/kitchen, I had painted an entire wall with chalkboard paint. And one of the things I wrote was ‘I will find my home near the beach, in my price range, with a great commute.’ And sure enough, that’s exactly what I found. Another magical, serendipitous find. It all lined up in perfect divine timing. I had the funds, and I bought it literally two weeks after seeing it. It has everything I asked for. And to this day I’m still living in it! I’m so grateful and still know this was/is my home, no regrets!

As far as my dream career,

I went from working 7 days a week making $50 a day to working 5 days a week, 19 hours a day, and making less than minimum wage back then. To getting on a show that flipped and went union, getting my days, and getting in the union within a year’s time.

Once in the union, I had to start all over. At this point, I still was operating from the fearless mode. I did everything I could to meet new people and wound up meeting some amazing, wonderful, talented people all over the biz, working on major studio productions.

One of my first big jobs was getting into Ryan Murphy Productions’ world and it changed my life forever. I will write more details of those shows in separate blogs. But let’s just say, I almost didn’t take the job because of fear of not being able to do period hair. But I was determined. I said yes and just practiced the two period eras until I went to work.

And boy oh boy if I had not of taken that job, I would have missed out on my beautiful dream career.

Taking that one call, literally got me my first Emmy win! My Department Head Monte was so gracious and added me to the list because he loved my period hairstyling and loved working with me. I then went on to assist him for the second season of American Horror Story Asylum. I truly loved that group, it was so much fun and so creative. They taught me a lot! And just to put it out there, In my opinion, Asylum was very underrated… Especially for hair…but I might just be biased. 🤭

Anyway, my career blew up from there. The department head makeup artist, Eryn, introduced me to another hair department head, Chris, who would start the American Crime Story series and I have been there ever since. I’ve done some shows outside of Ryan’s world but the majority of my career has been there. And the crime story series was a huge blessing in disguise because I now know that my gifts and love are for period reenactments and working with custom wigs. If I could do that specific thing for the rest of my career, I would! This is officially me writing it on the chalkboard wall! 😘

Now let’s see where my path lies…

I hope by now if you have dabbled in any fears, or are trying to manifest your dreams, that I’ve inspired you in some way or another. I had so much fun writing out these stories. And I’m sure I will think of more to tell. Sooo much has happened in the last 20 years but I’ll be sure to keep sharing!!

As I reflect on my journey, I’m reminded of the power of resilience, following one’s heart, and embracing the unknown with courage. Each twist and turn has shaped me into who I am today, and I’m grateful for every experience, whether smooth or challenging.

If my story has resonated with you, if you’ve felt inspired or perhaps seen a reflection of your own journey in mine, I invite you to take the next step with me. Whether you’re looking to enhance your skills, or simply craving some heartfelt conversation, I’m here for you.

If you prefer a more personal touch, I’d love to connect with you one-on-one. Schedule a call with me, and let’s dive deeper into your goals, challenges, and aspirations. Together, we can chart a course that aligns with your dream and ambitions.

And don’t forget to check out my free resources, filled with valuable insights and tips to support you on your journey. Whether you’re just starting out or seasoned in your craft, there’s always something new to discover and learn.

Thank you for joining me on this brief birdseye view of my last 20 years. Remember, the journey is never truly over—it’s simply a continuation of growth, learning, and embracing life’s beautiful surprises.

DARE TO DREAM!!

Stay tuned for more stories to come!