I am slowly recovering from the traumas of the last few weeks (i.e. my dad's stroke and my airplane that plummeted over 6,000 feet). But honestly, I am not the girl who started this blog two months ago. I have lost something. Optimism? Energy? Hope for the future? Maybe I simply have a case of the "blahs."
What have I done today, besides taking a shower, making my bed, and eating lunch? I have watched a good many episodes of Bravo's classic series Queer Eye For The Straight Guy. Thank you, Netflix, for providing each and every episode of this comedy gem :-)
Carson, Ted, Jai, Kyan, Thom - if any of the FAB FIVE are reading this, I need your help. I realize that you don't do this show anymore. You taped your last inspiring makeover stories in 2006. I know you've all moved on, but can't we get the band together just one more time? Just for me? Your show premiered eleven years ago, and I think the world would go mad to see y'all work your fabulous magic just one more time. Because I desperately need some of that magic right now.
Remember what life was like when you guys were on the air, back in 2003 to 2007? Those were my Austin years. Those were my early twenties. Those were the years when I actually had the confidence to co-create and co-star in a local TV show. I was a DJ at two different radio stations. And I even worked on film and commercial sets. I was a media girl, and I was making all of my media dreams come true.
And so were you guys! You guys were some of the biggest TV stars of 2000's! Carson, you even starred in a Hillary Duff movie!!!
Despite the fact that these were the Dark Days of the Bush Administration, the Iraq War, and Hurricane Katrina, we still followed our dreams and made some entertaining art to lighten the darkness of the age.
But here I am now, in 2014, and I feel stuck in a rut. I want to make good art again. I want to create stories again. I want to work in broadcasting again. But I am stuck. I've lost my confidence.
When I started this blog two months ago, I really did think that I'd be a successful reporter, blogger, and writer, in no time. I thought I'd have this freelance-career-thing down by now. But I don't. I've only made a few hundred dollars since I left my full-time job (and most of that money was made as a temp receptionist, not as a writer). I'm really close to giving-up and going back to full-time admin work. It's a steady paycheck. It's secure. It's a routine. I can totally see the benefits.
But dear Queer Eye guys, I don't want to return to that life. I want to be a freelance writer and performer. I want to start making money from creative gigs (writing, production, etc.). I want someone to pay me to write articles about pop culture and politics. But I've lost my confidence.
So this is what I ask of you guys. Please give me the full-on FAB FIVE treatment. I've gained some weight in the past couple of years, and nothing seems to fit, so I need help finding professional-but-comfortable clothing (especially for these crazy-hot DC summers...it's so hot, I don't even want to go outside). I would like a haircut. I would like some help with my apartment (my boyfriend moved in a few months ago, and he's still not unpacked). I would love some help learning to cook delicious-yet-healthy food (for someone who needs to lose about 40 lbs.).
And finally, I would love some career advice. A little push (or "shoosh," as Carson would say) in any direction would be most helpful at this time.
But if nothing else, guys, thanks for making me laugh today. Queer Eye is still one of the funniest shows out there, and thanks to the power of Netflix, I hope that a brand new generation of kids gets the pleasure of discovering your show. It was not only incredibly entertaining, but it really seemed full of heart as well. You guys really did change lives. And it was (and still is) a pleasure to watch.
Your fan,
Leila
P.S. Hey FAB FIVERS, wanna watch a 10-part web series called The Sherman House Webisodes? It's pretty funny! Just click here to watch it all for free: www.shwebisodes.com.
