p.s. I hate you Coree Spencer.

Last night Nell came over and for the first time in years, Me, Nell and Bethany were in the same room. Holy Moly Trifecta, Batman! These girls are my muses, my partners, BFFS.

The first thing out of my mouth was “What project are we gonna work on now?” Our background of course in film, Bethany and Nell both being former members of my old comedy group I used to manage, Homeless Corner, The TV show I coproduced Pirate Satellite Television and the team that accomplished 1st place out of 57 for the 2009 Portland 48 Hour Film Project.

In the past, statements like that would be considered pushy. But you see, here I’m not pushy, I’m motivated. In Portland, I was called “delusional”, in San Francisco I was called “blunt”. Here, I am Coree.

In 2009, just 9 months after starting stand up and 4 months after finishing filming my still unreleased and looking for a home webseries In It To Win It, Michael Jackson had just died (unrelated) and I sat there in Nell and Bethany’s livingroom at Spicewood Manor and they told me their plan to move in with family for a year, save money and then we would all be roommates in Brooklyn.

Nell moved quickly back to Washington DC, Bethany to Houston, and me to the Bay Area, all to live with family. Shortly after, Nell secures a great job and moves to New York. Bethany moves to New York. I stay in San Francisco. My plan had changed to LA because… well, I knew nothing about New York except it was huge and overwhelming and unfamiliar. I didn’t really feel bad about not moving to the East coast because I thought as a stand up, I should be in LA.

Then I visited in May. There’s something about turning 34 in New York and wondering where the time went. I’ve never stopped working, I’ve never stopped dreaming and all that bullshit… but for some reason in New York, it all hit me.

I’d been following this comedian Jamie Lee’s advice since I met her in 2009 in Seattle at Bumbershoot. Bethany and I filmed a Comedian on Comedian with her and she called me “Sparkle Tights”. When I saw her again, we were both performing at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival in 2010 and she had told me “You’re funny, but don’t get seen too soon.” I took it to heart. Jamie just did Conan like last week, so she’s a good person to listen to.

When I saw Jamie again in May in New York, she gave me new advice. “Just. Get. Here.” she said. Who am I to argue? My guilt pangs from never making good on my promise to move to the East with my friends was starting to effect me and I realized I was waiting for no reason.

I had a job interview today to be a temp, but was told that the wages were $10-$12 for what I was doing in SF for $15. The minimum wage in NY is PAINFUL. The Temp agency lady looked at me like I was this wide eyed girl looking for stardom with only $900 to her name… OH FUCK. SHE WAS RIGHT.

I’ve been here 2 days and I wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so I pulled retail rank and slipped into a Bath and Body Works on the way back to Bethany’s. You see, back in 2002-2005, I ran one of the top stores in the company at The Body Shop, Bath and Body Work’s competitor. It’s holiday hiring season, so I went into the store and started facing their lotions and the associate walked right up to me and we started talking employment,

He handed me the application and told me to fill it out in the store. He introduced me to the hiring manager and she asked me to come back Monday for a group interview. Did I mention the guy I was talking to used to work for The Body Shop too? BOOM.

I was gonna use retail as the last resort, but what if I don’t get a chance to use the last resort? I need steady income to get a room, and then I can start focusing on stand up/film or that one project I’ve got up my sleeve that I’m keeping hush hush at the moment.

Coree