Weekend Recap...

...'twas a mighty fine weekend you guys.

Lots of hang time with the Husband and dog, really fun acting workshop, clothing swap with some gal pals and about to top it off by seeing a show at UCB LA

Here are some highlights in picture form:

Friday evening hike with the best views. Why did I ever live in Chicago when this view was available?

Riggins the dog found a new home under our coffee table. No one knows why.

Saw this chair at Pier1. I'm hooked; I want it now. I don't have $450 for a chair though....

Made it through all of these for free thanks to the library. I hadn't seen any of them. I read both The Outsiders and The Road, but now I've seen the movies too. Ghost was my favorite of the three. I can't lie.

Clothing swap spoils! Gotta find a place to wear that dress. Not pictured: a pair of sweatpants I immediatley put on when I got home. I love sweatpants. I apologize to my Husband daily for this. 

Now for the week. Who knows what will happen? I can't wait to find out.

Coming up for air...

...I'm drowning.

Not really but this has been a busier week than normal. I hate it when people say they are drowning. They aren't. They are standing in front of me drinking coffee. They are not gasping for air and flailing their arms about while water fills their lungs. Let's keep some perspective.

This brings me to a topic I'd love to discuss.

"I'm too busy."

Dear Everyone,

We're all too busy. Everyone has too much going on. Nobody cares, sorry.

Signed,

Me and Everyone

I'm admittedly taking liberty to speak for everyone right now. 

Maybe it's just because I work for a start-up or maybe it's because I'm an actor and writer and I'm surrounded by actors and writers, but I feel like most people (including myself) love to talk about how busy they are.

Everyone in life is too busy and they love to tell you about it.

There's a reverse to this too. Even when this collective everyone is not actually busy, they love to tell you about how busy they are. Sometimes I tell my friends that I spent an entire day doing nothing but watching Call the Midwife and I feel guilty. They give me that look that says "YOU'RE NOT BUSY?"

Here's the thing. They probably weren't busy that day either. They were probably doing the same thing as me but they don't want to admit it.

Why do we feel the need to express how busy we are? Why do we need to feel busier than everyone around us? Sometimes it feels like a competition. If I don't say how busy I am then I'm obviously not working as hard as you.

Well guess what world...this week I was busy with work and at night I didn't want to be busy anymore so I laid on the couch and watched TV. This weekend I have a few things going on but I'm also going to make time to lay on the couch and watch more TV or perhaps take a nap.

I'm not actually busy all of the time. Just like you.

I fully recognize that this post is a rant about being busy after a post earlier in the week that talked about being busy. I'm a walking contradiction just like everyone else. Thanks for indulging my soapbox.

G'night.

Monday is a day...

...and that day is today and it's not my best day.

Work was pretty overwhelming today and I still haven't touched my personal to-do list yet.

I'll share a couple of highlights from the weekend, since that's what my brain can handle right now.

Peppermint Joe Joe's are the shit.

Friday night I had the apartment to myself. The dog and I ate a lot of peppermint Joe Joe's while watching Call the Midwife on Netflix. That glass isn't dirty, although the lighting would have you believe otherwise. It's an awesome glass with a city map of Chicago etched into it. Available at Uncommon Green.

Call the Midwife is a delightful show. Nurse Chummy is by far my favorite character. I think I feel a kinship to her since she didn't know how to ride a bike when she first came on the midwife scene. Fun fact: I don't know how to ride a bike.

Nurse Chummy showed that bike who is boss. Maybe I will do someday maybe too maybe.

My mom texted me this pic yesterday of my nephew getting to hang out at the fire station. I think he won this weekend by far.

Gavin the fireman

TTFN. I'm off to finally take a shower...hopefully.

Transistions....

...lenses.

I had to.

The Husband and I recently made some pretty big life decisions. Actually this past year was full of them if I stop to think about it. Getting a dog, our wedding and the latest which was relocating from Chicago to Los Angeles.

We made the decision fairly quickly and without much thought. I'm a fan of decisions like this. My husband isn't.

In August of this year we decided to check out LA by taking a trip, seeing if it's a place the Husband would want to live (I lived here previously for a bit about 10 years ago) and enjoy a small vacation.

During that trip we ended up signing a lease on an apartment.

When we came back and told our friends they were shocked. We were also kind of shocked.

Moving meant that the Husband would have to leave his job but fortunately I would be able to keep mine. It meant leaving all of our friends in Chicago but thankfully, because we do improv, we would have many old friends in our new city too.

Lots of pros and cons any way you go.

We are here now, all unpacked, and transitioning nicely.  I'm enjoying my new work from home life, the Husband is enjoying the warm weather and Riggins (our dog) doesn't even know anything has changed. He is by far the most adaptable being on the planet.

One perk of working from home is making breakfast every day. I'm sharing another what-I-had for breakfast post. Deal with it.

This morning I made oats on the stove and mixed in mashed up banana, sunbutter and maple syrup. Mashed banana is the best. I tried it after getting the idea from this gal's awesome blog. Get on the mashed banana train y'all.

This wasn't as blurry when I took it, I promise.

Put some almonds on top to make it crunchy. Nom nom.

Bonus: If you want to see some road trip pics from our move out here, check out the tumblr we used to track our journey:

Jandy, Molly & Riggins, Meet LA 

The most important meal of the day....

Breakfast is my favorite meal. Breakfast food is my favorite meal any time of the day. I love eggs and bacon and cheese and fruit and yogurt and granola. Put all that together, make it a smoothie and I would probably love it.

This morning I'm enjoying some cereal.  I don't normally buy cereal.  Cereal is a problem for me. With cereal I can easily eat 3-4 bowls in one sitting. As a child I ate 10-12 bowls in a seating. That isn't an 
exaggeration.

I convinced the husband to buy cereal at the store this week.

In my mind it was so he would have an easy way to make and eat breakfast. He doesn't always eat breakfast and when he does he generally wants to make eggs, bacon, toast, the works. I don't have enough energy for that every day.

In my subconcious I wanted him to buy it as an excuse for me to eat it. I know this because when he selected organic raisin bran over cinnamon Puffins my heart sank.

I dressed up my bowl of raisin bran with almond milk, banana, blueberies and chia seeds.  The taste is delicious even if the chia seeds look like fleas.

I will happily only eat 1 bowl of cereal this morning (repeat 3x, then repeat)

Of course there's some coffee there too. I'm currently using a coconut milk creamer with hazelnut flavoring that is delish.

Almond milk? Coconut milk? Chia seeds? I'm that person now.

Chia note: If you're not on the chia seed train, get on it. Experts say they are a fantastic way to get Omega 3 for people like me who don't eat fish.

I know what you're thinking, an actor who lives in LA and doesn't eat fish? I'm a dissapointment; I know. I just don't love fish. I can eat the fool out of some imitation crab though. Yes, this also makes me a dissapointment.

Chia seeds are the most affordable at Trader Joe's. That's what I've found at least. A little goes a long way too. I find it takes awhile to get through the whol bag of chia seeds.

Thanks for indulging some breakfast talk. Off to work I go!

New plans...

I read a lot of lifestyle blogs.  If you blog daily about the food you eat, workouts you do and what sponsor sent you a cleaning product to try, I probably read your blog.  I don't know why.

I was going to start blogging my own workouts, food choices and weird LA happenings today.  I was going to start with a workout post.

Instead I'm working from home feeling like a transformer is sitting behind my face pressing forward with all of his might.

Exhibit A

It also feels like pepper spray is oozing out of my eye sockets.

Really glamorous you guys.

I thought it was just a hangover but now I'm not so sure. I don't think answers cause mucus. I don't know though.

Actor quote...

...after reading through some sides...

"I'm gonna go ahead and google "acquisition" unless you know what it means." - Actor

Stress Cake...

The following post replaces the word Stress with the word Cake. 

Things that are Cake when all done together:

Buy first car - piece of Cake

Owning an empty condo that a management company is supposed to be renting out - the Cakiest of Cake

Re-letting your apartment. - Cake

Writing checks to a mover - hand Cake

Packing boxes - cathartic Cake

Doing last improv shows with your teams - sad Cake

Planning enough goodbye dinners/drinks/parties - More sad Cakes

Life is so Cake!

Vanity Post...

10 Facts I Don't Hate About Me:

1. I could watch Bob Vila's This Old House for hours and never get bored. 
2. It takes me 3 hours to finish one cup of coffee
3. I'm 100% addicted to caffeine and if I don't have that 3 hour cup of coffee I go into withdrawl (headache, nausea, moodiness, tears, suicidal thoughts etc...)
4. I don't think the midwest is full of nice people. I'm from the southern half of the U.S. If you want actual nice people, go to the south. 
5. I love Reddit.
6. I laugh at r/puns more than anything else I watch during the week.
7. I can completely tune out everything that is happening around me so much so that I miss about 60% of what people say to me. 
8. I love love love love love love love love love to read books.
9. I have a subscription to US Weekly.
10. I feel guilty when I read the page titled "Stars' Kids, they're just like us!" We shouldn't be paprazzing their children. It's gross. 

Thanks for indulging.

Bus Quote...

"When you robbed that savings and loan, you got like $12,000 and took off and I didn't see you again and then you came back and the first thing you asked me, you asked me for a cigarette."

This was right before he complained about his other friends selling their pussies for a dollar.

That Thing They Call Adulthood...

Get a job, they say.

Get a job so you can finally pay your bills and not have that worry on your plate.

Get a job so you can eat normal foods, buy shoes without holes and pay for headshots without a credit card.

Get a job.  

So you get a job.

That job is fine. You meet some fine folks. You try new restaurants. You discover you have more fashion sense than you once thought. You realize that paying full price for a haircut and the occasional manicure does actually make you feel better.

Then one day you’re really tired, you were finally able to wash your underwear at 10pm at night and you’re scrolling Facebook asking what the fuck happened to your creativity.  You can’t find it.  It’s gone.  The most creative thing you’ve done all day was to combine playing fetch with your dog and jogging around the apartment to get a workout in.  

Sometimes at work you say to people that your job is creative.  That it uses the parts of your brain that all your creative pursuits use. Okay. 

You sit down one morning in a conference room all by yourself for some quiet time.  You say, I’m going to write right now.  You open up a Google doc.  The next thing you know you’ve written nothing because you’ve been sitting in front of a blank screen falling asleep with your eyes open because your brain is tired.

You remember when the world seemed a big, vast mountain to climb.  Now it seems small, claustrophobic and full of pollution.

You realize that finding your creativity is now the hardest mountain you climb.  You would do anything to find the creativity again.  You would quit it all and move into your car, if you had one.  You would shower at the gym.  You would do this so you could read a book by the lake at 11am, then write about it, then do some yoga, then write some more, then go to a rehearsal and go home.  And you would be present for all these things in mind and body.  

Instead you go get your underwear out of the washing machine and put it in the dryer.  

You eat an ice cream bar.

You take a shower.

You sleep.

You wake up.

You sleep some more.

And instead of finding the positives, you see only the negatives because your creativity is sleeping and it can’t be bothered to help you see the light this time.

Do Not...

...buy a dog if you're an artist of any kind.

It's very romantic, the idea of having a dog. A companion. Someone to greet me when I walk home. Someone to snuggle with all the time, not just when I'm sick or crying over my TiVo not recording last week's Welcome to Myrtle Manor (that shiz is NOT on my onDemand).

I'll get this out of the way. I love my dog and I wouldn't be able to live without him. He is a giant light in my life and I don't mind spending $400 a month on organic food, dog walkers and squeaker toys.  Now that you know that....

Do not get a dog. Instead of spending your time writing, researching, painting, Meisnering or whatever you do, you'll end up staring at your dog.

"Oh look, he's sniffing the wall!"
You'll say that. And then just keep watching him.

"Oh, how cute he's laying on your backpack honey!"
You'll say that and then just stare at him.

You'll walk into your office to sit down and start writing your epic novel only to have the dog beg to be in your lap.  So of course you pick him up.  And then he insists on resting on your left arm, which you think is fine since you're right handed, but then you realize typing an epic novel with one hand is impossible. So you try to write it with pen and paper, but then you realize you've spent most of your life typing so writing freehand makes your joints hurt too much.

If you have a dog that doesn't fit in your lap, you won't have this problem, right? No. You will. Most big dogs I've met think they are lap dogs. He might not make it into your lap but you'll still never get to type because he'll insist on trying to make it or lick your hand, which he can reach, and your hand will be covered in the slimiest slobber you've ever encountered because big dogs slobber a lot.



All of this will happen.

You could be warming up your vocal cords, but the dog wants to be chased and then chase a ball and then chase you again.

You could be pencil drawing the Empire State Building, but you can't because you're dog is looking at you holding in it's pee and once you get him outside he'll be so excited to sniff the weeds that you don't want to ruin his fun and take him back inside.

Dogs are a time-suck.

They also teach life lessons.

You know what's the worst? Knowing that if I hand my dog a brand new rope toy, he will freak the eff out and jump for joy while holding it in his jaw.  If I sit down and write a short story I'll hate myself for hours because no matter how many pages I write, I'll hate them all and they will all suck and I'll feel like vomiting because writing feels like vomiting.

And the there's the dog in the corner panting with glee because he found his bone.

And then I'm more angry.

Don't get a dog.



They are just too effing cute and adorable and crap. Much more adorable than studying
Uncle Vanya.

Riggins Pee-Paw Mutt-Butt Anderson aka, my dog the adorable distraction.

Check that shiz.

Oh we're all soooooo funny.

Notes from a 12 year old me...

Dear Lisa Frank,

Mom played Gangsta's Paradise repeatedly in the car on the way home from school today. She says it's inspiring a story. She never tells me the story though. Although, I bet it's great because my mom is really great. She doesn't let me shave my legs yet, but she did let me wear concealer for my school pictures last week.

I want to go to Lindsay's house this weekend and play TLC's creep really loud so it annoys her sister. That's so fun to me. I don't have a sister yet but I hope I do someday. Right now KISS FM is playing Another Night. You know, in this one Baywatch episode I saw they played a different Real McCoy song that was so slow and pretty and it made me cry. I love laying in bed watching my tiny TV. My parents bought it for me because they took a trip to Mexico and didn't take me. I'd rather have the TV. It's like the time they paid me $50 to not go to a New Kids on the Block concert. Can you believe I wanted to marry Joey McIntyre? I should've have known I would meet Ryan Gosling soon. I'm totally gonna be on MMC. They are watching me through the TV and they've seen my dance moves.

Alright, it's time for bed. These yellow walls sure are making me not tired, but I need to be tired. I have a big day tomorrow. We're graduating 5th grade soon. Kind of a big deal.

Good night!
Moll

Catching up on Big Love Season 5...

Yes, this 200 years after it originally aired.  Now that we've acknowledged that fact...

MARGIE WAS 16?

What kind of effed up soap opera did this show become?

Side note: I finally placed that guy from Nashville (ABC) too. He was the prosecutor Nicki flirted with in season 3, Ray Henry. Google it. You're welcome.

Gotta Love Fearmongering...

Come on already.  Arrested Development was great and will be great.

I Read The Whole Series...

Oh brother.

And no I'm not ashamed that I read this whole trilogy. It's important to keep up with pop culture when you do things like IMPROV. I read it for my ART*.



*Not true. I read it for a book club. I even brought pancake and bacon treats to the meeting where we discussed the books.  If you read the book, you'd know why I chose pancakes and bacon. Shhhh, it's embarrassing if people find this out.

2013!

It's a new year! Everything is new! Every problem we had in 2012 is gone because a new year makes the past moot!

I don't make resolutions but this year I decided to make one tiny one. I might keep it, I might not. Generally if I want to start a new habit, I just start it. Regardless of timing. But not this. This one is a resolution. This tiny thing is to every night write one good thing that happened that day in my journal.
 Naturally, since this is a resolution, I started last night. I wrote,

"Watched Homeland on the couch curled up in a blanket with my fiance and dog."

I hope 60% of my "good things" are this mundane and the other 40% involve things like foreign countries and paychecks from creative endeavors (acting, writing, eating contests etc...).

Happy New Year everyone!