STAY.GOLD

What do you do when the extraordinary has become the ordinary?

I’m growing up,making moves,learning things in an industry that holds so many dreams and sees so many failures. A superficial industry where it feels like you’ve always gotta make more money,look better,dress nicer,shake hands firmer,be better than those around you. Where validation comes from your material objects and collected accolades (or paychecks). Where people talk shit,backstab,climb over friends,do whatever it takes to get to the top. Where this very subject is always the elephant in the room - no one will acknowledge the people they’ve fucked (literally,figueratively) to get where they are. Everything is about a what’s what and every event invite list is about a who’s who.

"Name dropping" is frowned upon, so statements like "Oh, I’m Rihanna’s stylist" becomes a simple answer to, "What do you do?" Can we stop pretending like we are the norm? We,us,our collective group of superficial fucks who secretly revel in working alongside A-list celebrities and know that our jobs are more amazing,fun,creative,inspiring,awesome than your normal 9-5? Can we start acknowledging how tremendously blessed we are? Can we be wowed once in a while without others calling us corny?

Four years ago when I first moved to LA, a close group of confidants told me never to lose my shine. To STAY.GOLD. Four years later, I feel like who I am, what I do and where I’ll be will never seem never good enough. Los Angeles is the worst place imaginable to find yourself and true happiness. Oddly and ironically enough, academia is the one thing that has given me the solace I’ve sought. This is 1/10000th of my inner struggles… I don’t know where to go or where I’ve left off anymore.