A Gift and A Question

Never thought I would be a couch surfer, but I guess it happens to the best of us.

This month I was "homeless" for 12 days between the day I moved out of my Westwood apartment and the day I moved in to my Los Feliz apartment. I reached out to a friend, Jillian, and asked if I could crash at her east side apartment for a week and a half.

It somehow was perfect timing for us: she was going out of town for a week and I could house-sit for a week (and a few days). The location was amazing, and I was surrounded by all the things I love about the east side including yoga studios, cozy cafes, and vegan restaurants. It was bitter sweet moving out of her picturesque apartment with its bright colored curtains and comfy vintage couch.

As a token of my appreciation I gave her a brightly colored scarf from Versace. When I saw the piece in the store I immediately thought of Jillian and her exuberant personality and love of rich colors. Here is a picture of Jillian rocking the scarf (photo cred: Jillian Meyers):

If you think about it, she's actually helping me do little PR for the company! Having the amazingly talented dancer/choreographer/artist sporting the company exposes the brand to a new demographic of potential admirers. She represents the brilliant "starving" artist defying the notion that high fashion isn't just for the uber rich and pretentious. And high fashion designers are artists too, so who better to appreciate and understand their work than other artists?

Despite how proud I was of my gesture, I was a little torn by how my gift to Jillian made me feel. On one hand, I was delighted that she was so happy. On the other, I felt materialistic in thinking that this Versace scarf was somehow more demonstrative of my gratitude than a heartfelt thank you letter.

Such is the kind of struggle I think about often. Especially at a time when I am trying to be independent from my parents' financial support, material goods are becoming more and more of a luxury. I love taking care of my friends and family, and I especially love being able to give to them the best of the best. So here is the question: What can I do as a dancer and a part-time PR Assistant to maintain a steady stream of income?

I'll let you know when I have it all figured out. In the mean time, be sure to be on the lookout for Jillian and that brightly colored head wrap!