Technically it’s after midnight and it’s officially Wednesday, but I would have had this done about hours ago if it weren’t for a silly iPhone update that stalled my life for the past 90 minutes. 

Seriously - that wasn’t fun. 

Had a little scare there. Things got lost and then restored again. All is OK again andnow I’m clear to do this 5TT post. Although I do have to apologize for the sheer fact that I’ve been mad slacking on the posting. I’ve been partially busy, partly just tired. Anyways - here goes it:

1  EARLY TO RISE - If you know me at all, you know that I’m a hardcore night owl. Late hours are pretty much my best hours for productivity and this freelance life has allowed me to sleep in on most days.

But for some reason this past week I’ve had to wake up super early like everyday. And I don’t like that at all. It’s stupid. But I guess that’s what happens when you take on certain projects and such.

I’m really looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow.

2  JO, SET DESIGNER EXTRAORDINAIRE - Last week I randomly found myself at the Universal Studios prop department picking out items for a shoot. I still ask myself how that happened … The answer is always so simple: my super talented director friend needed someone to do set design and I totally jumped on the opportunity.

And well on Sunday, I actually was there working on set and saw first-hand actual filming of a commercial. And it was so cool to watch! I cannot wait to show you the final product.

Plus, I really liked doing set design. It wasn’t really anything I’ve considered before, but I definitely think it’s something I see on my resume of the many things I do. What do you think? Does it look like a 1920’s warehouse desk space?

3  THIS SERIOUSLY TRIPS ME OUT - My night owl roommate, Katie, shared this gem with me. And dude - it TOTALLY trips me out. I stared at it for such a long time.

How is she going both clockwise and counter-clockwise?!

4  MY ROOMMATE ANDI SHOULD HAVE HER OWN REALITY TV SHOW - It has been decided that my roommate, Andi, should have her own reality TV show. Because it would be HILARIOUS. It wouldn’t be ridiculous drama-reality TV. It would be more along the lines of “Duck Dynasty.” 

I mean, she didn’t become a stand-up comedian like her dad wanted. But she’s still hysterical by nature and we live in LA. So a reality show isn’t too far-fetched … especially since she works at a media company. Just pitch the idea to your boss ;)

Seriously, wouldn’t you watch a show featuring this girl?!

5  IN OTHER NEWS, I HAVE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF MY LIFE AGAIN - I feel like I’m a little off kilter right now since I’m not really running or reading much. And it took me til this last weekend to bake something. I’m just really out off my game or something, like I never fully came back from vacation or whatnot. Do you know what I’m talking about?

I’ve really got to shake it and get my mind/body/spirit back on track. I feel very ORU saying that … I need to get the whole man back in check. Because I’m all sorts of not that right now. It’s been two months of feeling this way. Time to do something about it.

So this is my weekly goal declaration (keep me accountable for next week’s 5TT post!):

• GOAL #1 (Mind): Read! Turn off the TV and read something. Measurable goal of 30 minutes a day.  
• GOAL #2 (Body):  Run!  At least 3x this week.  And eat more fruits and vegetables. I need more of this in my life.
• GOAL #3 (Spirit):  Catch up on past church sermons (because of Disneyland and the commercial shoot, I’m 2 weeks behind). 

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Happy Friday folks. It’s time for RANDOM THOUGHTS WITH JO.

• It’s First Fridays and I’d really like to go to Abbot Kinney just to get some Grilled Cheese Food Truck. But I’m lazy about driving/parking out there (it’s going to be cray). So I’m still on the fence about going. But it’s soooo good.
• I think it’s stupid that LA doesn’t have drive-through Starbucks. They should jump on that.
• I found my Honor Ring today. I haven’t had it for a couple months and it made me really sad. But now we’re reunited and it feels so good.
• I just found out that one of my favorite podcasts - the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning podcast - has been discontinued as of the new year.  I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO THEM FOR OVER 10 YEARS! I’m so sad. It’s like losing some of my best friends.
• There’s a free screening of “Safe Haven” next week at the Grove that I already RSVP’d to but can’t go because of my roommate’s bachelorette party. Oh how I wish I could be at two places at once. Nicholas Sparks chick flick? Um yes. Free movie? Even better. But I can’t do it. Sad day.
• I’m having breakfast tomorrow with Foxy Roxy! And having a Skype Date with Ashley* later that day. It’s going to be a good Florida day here in SoCal.
• I’m sad they cancelled “Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23” - that show was SO FUNNY. Dangit.
• And NEW GIRL!?!?!?!?!  Um BEST EPISODE EVER.
• I really want to go to Portland. Get lost at Powell’s. Sounds amazing. And get biscuits & gravy. Yum.
• I need to start running again. And eat more fruits & vegetables.

Oh January. How soon you left us.

Can’t believe it’s February already. Almost time for my LA-Versary!  Which ironically lands right around my Orlando-versary (I moved to Orlando in Feb 2009). I remember I celebrated with T-Flats because the PRPL guys wanted to go there (even though I wanted Pita Pit that day). Boys. They always love themselves some T-Flats.

I need to do something to celebrate that day. One amazingly awesome year in LA. Got to do it right.

Anyways. Happy Friday.

JO OUT.

It’s never too late to share right?  I’ve been all sorts of off schedule - sorry about that.  Please take this video as my apology for two weeks of missed MMS’s.

I love all y’all.  Enjoy some JJAMZ.

It’s TUESDAY FOLKS!!  

I don’t know if you realized, but last week … I kind of dropped the ball on my 5TT post. I just didn’t have it in me. I mean, I had an idea of what I wanted in my post, but I had like no energy to get it out there. 

And well, I suck. And I just didn’t write one. I’m sorry. But it’s OK.

It had a good theme though. A GREAT theme actually. It was the 1 Year LA-Versary post and I was going to write about the 5 things I like most/am blessed by here in LA.  

I really had to mull over it for a week.  So here it goes - 5 Things I LOVE about being here in LA:

1  MY COMMUNITY GROUP - The first one is a given. People make or break a place. Hands down. And I have been incredibly blessed to have found some of the most genuine, loving, hilarious, fun people in the midst of this crazy city. And they love the Lord. And they’re normal. And they’re all around my age and in the same stage of life as me. 

It’s pretty much amazing. And I’m so so so thankful the Lord brought me here.  

*BONUS: can’t forget about a few other special people (Beth from RELEVANT, Danny & Rochelle, lunch dates with long lost cousins, Andrea from Mimi’s/ORU, the Lampes). All of these people have definitely enriched my CA life as well.

2  MY LOCATION - To be honest, I didn’t do much planning when I moved out here. I kind of winged it and roomed with a friend who eventually moved to NYC. But if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have landed in West LA. It’s pretty much the best area, central to the beach and Beverly Hills. Full of great eateries and not too far from the essential shopping areas. Most of all, I feel safe and at home where I am. 

Seriously - I live only a few miles from this (even though I’m not much of a beach person, but I’m learning):

3  PHOTOGRAPHY - Dude, I get to legitimately pursue photography here in LA. I honestly could not do it in the same capacity anywhere else that I have lived. LA just seems to have much more opportunity for it. And it’s so much more denser. There’s just more people, more companies, more aspiring actors, more ways to do different things with my camera. And that’s exciting to me. 

4  DISNEYLAND - I love that I have an annual pass to Disneyland and that 7 of my friends also do too. This way we can all keep each other accountable to get our money’s worth out of it and actually live up to the magicalness of it all.

I love that we can enjoy each other’s company while there and not feel like we have to fit all the rides in.  And that we can spend an hour in line waiting for a ride and talk the entire time and play games. (I’m a big quality timer and I think this may be the best part about Disney).

And I love the challenge of getting awesome snapshots in like this (she’s holding her Bible!):

5  ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD - Ok, one of the other things that I love about LA is that I’m still star-stuck about the fact that celebrities live here, that movies are filmed here, and that Oscar nominees go to places like In-N-Out. My mind is still blown by stuff like that.

And I love that I’m surrounded by people who either love TV as much as I do (like we can have an in-depth discussion on the greatness of Friday Night Lights or break down the story arcs and character development on other shows) … or be around people in the industry (either makeup artists or people who work on trailers or are an executive producer on a show). This industry fascinates me a whole lot.

I also love the fact that someone like me can stumble upon a gig that allows me to shop around the prop department at Universal Studios. It’s so crazy! There were just aisles upon aisles of props! An entire section would be devoted to phones or lamps or sports equipment from all sorts of different time periods. Other sections would be dedicated to all sorts of machines guns, weapons, or armor that were actually made out of foam.  

I’m still amazed that I was there today.  How did I get here??

Happy Tuesday folks. How’s it going?

Hmmmm. I don’t really have witty or interesting to say in my intro so I’m just going to jump right to it. 5 Things.

1  LACY SUEDE OXFORDS - So Antrho sent out this email blast recently about these lacy suede oxfords and I think I’m in love. With a pair of shoes. That’s normal right?

I don’t know which ones I’d rather have. The cream, or the pink, or the yellow … all so cute. Bah.

2  HOW GREAT ARE THESE HIGH SCHOOL PICS?  I was browsing through my Google Reader and stumbled upon this blog post from “Cup of Jo” and was taken aback from these photos. Obviously the blonde is an easy giveaway. But the bottom left … dude. I did NOT guess that one.

Check out the post for more samples. They’re great.

3  SPEAKING OF ZOOEY … THERE’S A NEW SHE & HIM ALBUM COMING OUT IN MAY - Yeah. I’m excited. And it’s going on the wish list. 

4  IN OTHER NEWS THAT ACTUALLY PERTAINS TO MY LIFE … FOXY ROXY WAS IN TOWN - Not only did I finally get to try Tart (delicious oatmeal pancakes), but I had a chance to catch up with a good Florida friend over breakfast.

First off, I wasn’t even aware that she had left RELEVANT a few months ago. That officially leaves only one person left on staff who I know at RMG (Cameron & Maya don’t count). Just Chad Micheal Snavely … everyone else has moved on in the last three years.

Goodness. Has it been three years? Praise God for new seasons in life.

Anyways, back to Rox. She’s been doing some freelance consulting and so one of her main clients brings her to LA every 6 weeks. And I’m happy they do. Gives me the opportunity to see her!

5  SUPERBOWL SUNDAY - Obviously I greeted people at church “Happy Super Bowl Sunday” … what can I say. I’m excited about football. And commercials. And halftime shows.

I do have to say that all those Beyonce holograms tripped me out. Plus they caused the power outage!! But I guess that’s OK since it made the second half 100x better.

It was also fun reading live Tweets about the Superbowl. I do have to say my RLV Friendo’s are the best commentators. I appreciate that about them.

Anyways - here is my favorite commercial from the Superbowl.  Although it was hard to pick one out. But this one got me laughing out loud.