La Rosa Knows

Last night I went with my friend Jessie to see a really fun storytelling series at UCB called Stripped Stories.  I always love storytelling that involves sex, and this was all about it.  I performed with Margot Leitman at Sunday Night Sex Talks earlier this month, and she is just a fantastic storyteller.

Plus, she put together an amazing lineup of performers.  We heard a story from a man known as Gram Ponante, who runs a porn website and is also the director writer of the porn parody: The Facts of Life XXX (pretty straight forward title).

It was epic and totally worth the $5.  Plus, it made me feel like a total prude, which I’m okay with.

It’s that special time of year where I promise to do very festive and seasonal activities, and then never actually do. Let’s go over what my fall broken promises look like:

-Ice skating downtown (in LA this is very special indeed, because they open a rink in Pershing Square and for the briefest of moments you forget that )

-Paying a visit to Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch

-Apple picking! Apple time!

-Bake a pumpkin pie… nom nom

-Play in the snow!* (*not possible in LA unless you count the fake snow at The Grove, which, I don’t)

-Buy a bag of pumpkin shaped candy corn and eat it with class (i.e. not woof it down, as will be the inevitable case)

-Buy a pumpkin spiced latte and walk down the beach in a long jacket

In all seriousness, I love fall, most importantly the fantasizing part of it.

Like I need another TV obsession…

Homeland is totally happening though. I watched the pilot on Friday night, and the second episode tonight- honestly, this is my new favorite thing for a couple of reasons:

-Damian Lewis. This is a redhead male lead which, if you’ve read my blog before, you’ll know is a cause I am passionate about. PLUS he’s drop dead sexy and a fantastic actor.

-Mandy Patinkin. Like you need any other reason.

-The plot is total thriller and will grab you right away.

-The writing is exceptional, just really clever and quick.

I’ll be watching this every Sunday night right after my other jam: Dexter.

Maybe it’s the moon, or mercury is retrograding, or whatever the fuck happens when people start going wonky. But let me tell you something: I have come up against a lot of girl-on-girl hate recently.

Truly, I have been fortunate in the women I have been surrounded with. My mother, for example, is one of the smartest and most savvy people I have ever come across. She is completely self made, paid her way through college and never got any help from her parents. She became an RN during a time when most career gals were taking the Mad Men route and opting for secretary jobs. She has survived both breast cancer, and the fact that in spite of her strong Republican foundation she wound up with a very Liberal daughter.

My last female boss has become something of a mentor, but closer to an older sister to me. She was tough with me when I first started that job, and really taught me what it means to expect excellence from yourself every single day. Anytime I make a career move, I ask her opinion. When I am having boy problems, I know she will give it to me straight without being harsh. She is warm and demanding in the best ways possible and has taught me so much about being graceful when you’re under an extreme amount of pressure.

Which is why I am always so taken aback when I encounter women who veer in the opposite directions; manipulative, back stabbing, two faced, insecure types who would sooner help you fail then give you a step ladder to rise to the top with. But, unfortunately, I have encountered a few of these types in the past month. I have been thrown under the bus, openly disparaged, and discouraged on several occasions.

The thing is, I always thought I was the type who wouldn’t be affected by that kind of behavior, but I’m coming to realize that if someone tries to lug you down often enough, eventually you’re going to start noticing the weights tied to your ankles.

I have found the easiest way of coping with this is listening to diva jams: songs that make me feel empowered, and that I can also hum loudly to myself every time I come face-to-face with one of these heinous females.

Need a song to hum to yourself? Try this one by the Eurythmics.

PS- Girl power!

I performed in this storytelling series called “Sunday Night Sex Talks” last night. It was hosted by the always wonderful Jessie Rosen, and had some truly amazing ladies on stage (Erin Gibson, Tymberlee Hill, Molly Prather, Margot Leitman, and Marianne Sierk).

The whole idea behind it is that it’s a GIRLS ONLY event, no boys allowed. That way it’s a bit of a “safe” venue for girls to tell stories about, well, sex.

Some of the stories were filthy and graphic and made me laugh until my face hurt, others were sweet and funny and poignant, and some were so sad because they were so relatable that it was comforting and hilarious all at once.

It was a truly fun and fantastic experience, and the room had a different kind of energy knowing that everyone watching was a woman. In a way it allowed a lot of the performers to relax, I think, and really open up and be brutally honest about their experiences in a way that you wouldn’t were men in the room. As a performer you felt that you were being supported and not getting judgment from any male audience members, which was refreshing. And as an audience member, it just felt good to laugh with these women and feel like the topic of sex could be discussed right there, out in the open. It was empowering.

This “Sunday Night Sex Talks” series is in the works to becoming a monthly event. So check in on 20-Nothings blog for future dates to come!

PS- If you ever want to hear the story I told you’ll have to buy me a drink and I’ll do it live– it’s one of those stories that is just better in person.