As I type this, I am at the beach. It’s a beautiful, warm day, in sunny Los Angeles. The singing birds are flying overhead and the sound of the ocean waves, is beyond relaxing. As I breathe in the salty sea air, I am brought back to a time when- OK, OK, I’m not at the beach! But, in my mind, I really, really want to be. That counts, right? You see, I have this “challenge” with, well, to be honest, A LOT of things. But for the sake of this particular article, I find it extremely difficult to take…
Author: Burgandi Phoenix
In Los Angeles, there are actors, musician and artists, around every corner. We are your servers, your dog walkers, your barista’s and your fellow Lyft or Uber drivers. And while those are just a few of the jobs we all have done, or are still doing to pay dem’ billz, (no judgement), these jobs are VERY necessary if we want to have running water. Not to mention, especially for the ladies, you need more than you would EVER think, when it comes to maintaining your hair, skin, nails, wardrobe etc. Right? I feel like I separate job just to pay…
A relationship building lesson. I love networking. I love meetings. I love talking with like minded people. I love LA and social media, for this reason. There is nothing better to me than gabbing it up, with people who are ambitious and driven and full of spark! It’s become quite an obsession of mine since moving to the big city and as the weeks, months and years pass by, I enjoy it more and more! Recently, I have stepped out on a major limb and decided to be more social, in a next level sort of way. I am reaching…
…and don’t mess with this Ms. in between! I promised myself on New Year’s Eve, (and about a million times/every year before then), that in 2016, I would really focus on the things and the people who were most important to me. No more fear of, “What will he/she/they think if I say no or yes?” or, fear in general of being myself 150% of the time, regardless of anything or anyone! No more allowing myself to be taken advantage of- in my personal life and/or in my professional life! I am going to give back more, be more specific…
One of my biggest pet peeves is someone being deliberately mean or cruel, especially to someone who is only doing their job and/or is too intimidated to speak up for fear of causing a scene/looking unprofessional. I get so fired up, when people use their power and/or position to create fear or cause tension in the name of ego; mainly theirs. Being nice doesn’t mean you should be a doormat but it’s also important to remember: yes, there is only one you, but when you are in any professional situation, especially the entertainment industry, there is always someone bigger better…
The Holiday Season might be over but there are so many ways to help our wonderful world out! One early December morning, after not being on social media for 2 weeks, (I highly recommend this btw), I stumbled upon a re-post from an August episode of the Ellen Show. Her show is absolutely one of my weaknesses, especially when it’s a thumbnail of Ellen and her guest wiping tears away; I’m a sucker for a tear-jerker. This particular clip was about an extremely generous, 4th grade teacher/major humanitarian, from Albuquerque New Mexico, who told such a beautiful, inspiring story of…
Dump the chump mentality and unleash your inner champ. I caught a glimpse of the Gymnastics World Championships this October and was blown away…WOW! I was completely immersed in these talented women and the competition. Their focus, dedication, the leotards that looked like they were airbrushed on and the physique of some of the best athletes in the world, was just awe inspiring, to say the least. I would be lying if I said I didn’t shed a tear, (or 1,000), during some of the routines; these ladies were breathtaking! And then, it hit me. That faint feeling of panic…
“Don’t be discouraged; be patient. Enjoy the process. Don’t tell people how old you are! Never burn bridges! Be prepared to struggle! Never turn work down!” And the list goes on and on. I know, I know. You’ve probably heard these and many other statements a million times, right? Right. We all have, and until very recently, it went where so many other encouraging statements have gone…in one ear and out the other. Not because I didn’t think they were important but because throughout my years of living in LA, I sometimes feel like I am so bombarded by “helpful”…
OK….There are actually WAY more than 5 things you should know before making the bold move to the City of Angels, (can anyone say parking tickets…seriously folks- READ THE SIGNS!) but the next 5 things helped me tremendously, so I would like to pay it forward. Here goes: 1- Unless you are a trust fund-er, have a sugar daddy/momma, or your parents just want to support you, you WILL need a J.O.B. to pay dem billz. It doesn’t have to be full time, corporate or 40+ hours, if you don’t want it to be, but Los Angeles is expensive and…