Ch- Ch- Changes

Everything always seems to happen in the blink of an eye. Time passes by so quickly and it's easy to miss the special moments in all the fog and haze of daily life-- but we're here and we're all just doing the best we can to take this great big life one day at a time!

News is good, honestly. I've moved out into my own place at the border of Hollywood, Los Feliz and Silverlake and I'm striking out on my own. I've loved and loved and loved, but some things just aren't meant to be-- there's timing involved, and intent, but mostly a lot of emotions that can get really complicated. It suffices to say Nova and I are learning to live in a new part of town.

Immediately after moving, my computer's motherboard decided to take a nosedive and I also lost a prime location in which to take product shots for Dewclaw Vintage. Between that and packing (and unpacking), I've lost a little impetus to use my camera, although on my switched-up commute I see plenty of things on my new route that I'd love to shoot-- so it's just a matter of getting back into the swing of things.

I have goals-- I'm finally on my own in the Big City like I always dreamed I would be, so now I'm motivated and feel charged to pursue my career, whatever that really means.

This blog is called "These Things First" after the Nick Drake song "One of These Things First" -- I always have focused on living life to its fullest potential... I never wanted to have to ask myself if I missed an opportunity because I wasn't letting myself be "this thing first" -- so here I am, plain as day, take me as I am. I'm living my life as I want, rolling with the punches and being grateful for every opportunity that is presented to me. Hope you will stick around for the journey, because it is going to be full of life and very powerful.

30 Before 30: Los Angeles Edition

I've lived in the greater Los Angeles area my entire life, and while I've traveled to different cities all around the world, no place else feels quite like LA does. It's really quite lively but also quiet and private, it's this balance between putting your best face forward while also concealing how exactly it is you look so perfect all the time. This kind of life has disseminated itself in many ways, owing to the televised nature of the city. LA isn't a compact, close-knit city, but instead sprawls out over hillsides and into valleys and this topographical unrest airs itself out by dividing this great city into little neighborhoods, all of which offer a unique perspective to what it means to be a resident of the largest city on the West Coast.

Los Angeles is in my blood; it moves me. Seeing a Metro train rumble past Craftsman homes in Highland Park in the rain, hiking into Griffith Park and seeing the wide scope of the city all the way to the Pacific Ocean, following an urban staircase just to find out where it leads-- these experiences fulfill me, and often overwhelm me. 

I know many bloggers like to sort of take stock of their lives and make these "30 Before 30" lists, and I don't want to be the exemption. I'm not interested in settling down and raising a family, so instead I think I need to be active about nurturing my sense of curiosity in the world around me, the way one might nurture their own child. I have a more personal overarching "30 Before 30" list (with some sort-of embarrassing confessions that I have deemed nonpublishable!), but this list is related specifically to Los Angeles, and is my way of dedicating myself to being active in the city I've chosen to make my home (hopefully for a long time!).

Yes, there are many things I've already done in Los Angeles-- the LA Zoo, LACMA, Watts Towers, the Natural History Museum, the California Science Center, the Rose Bowl Flea Market, Olvera Street, Chinatown, Angel's Flight-- but there are plenty of things that I haven't done or seen, and that's where I want to direct my interest. I fully expect to add items to this list to complete, but for now this is where I'm setting my goals.

30 Before 30: Los Angeles Edition

1. Hike up to the Hollywood Sign
2. Visit the Heritage Square Museum
3. Ride public transportation from Downtown all the way to the Pacific Ocean
4. Ride the ferris wheel at Pacific Park at the Santa Monica Pier
5. Take a tour of the Smith Estate
6. Have a picnic at Grand Park, Downtown
7. Take a tour of the Los Angeles Central Library
8. Visit the Wilson Observatory
9. See a show at the Walt Disney Concert Hall
10. Take a tour of the Scientology Center
11. Visit the Museum of Jurassic Technology
12. Visit the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
13. Explore the underground tunnels in Downtown LA
14. Have a fancy cocktail at the Tiki-Ti
15. Go to an LA Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium
16. See a movie (or a concert!) at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
17. Ride the carousel at Griffith Park
18. Spend an evening at the Magic Castle
19. See a movie at the Silent Movie Theater
20. Buy a cupcake from the 24-Hour Cupcake ATM at Sprinkles Cupcakes
21. Visit the Bhagavad-Gita Museum in Culver City
22. Go to a First Fridays at the Natural History Museum
23. See MOCA's permanent collection
24. Take the Classic Neon Cruise with the Museum of Neon Art
25. Create and erect/post my own street art/stencil
26. Visit The Broad
27. Go to Jumbo's Clown Room
28. Take a tour of Walt Disney Studios in Burbank
29. Go to a college football game (UCLA/USC/Rose Bowl -- not picky!)
30. Spend a day taking photos at Evergreen Memorial Park (See My Post About It!)

My idea and my goal is to take my camera along and document each of my thirty goals as I do them! I know that some will be more difficult to achieve than others, but I'm hoping that with the next two years and three months I can do my best to explore this amazing city .

Around the House, January 2013

I was lucky enough that my boyfriend got me a Canon EOS Rebel T3 for Christmas, and it seems like the first chapter to something bigger and better (and more fulfilling) for me, so I've been doing my best to practice and learn how to use it well. On its own, it has a tendency to take crisp, clean, beautiful photos, but with a lesson or two and learning how all the settings work, I am hoping to become more in control of the final product.

January is generally a quiet month for me, and because my income fluctuates seasonally, I don't usually have as many resources available to be able to travel or do anything really extravagant this time of year, so instead I've been trying to use the camera around the house. My boyfriend has really taken to it, as well-- it can be assumed that any pictures of me were taken by him.

Greg plays guitar and bass in our living room at least once a week, and seeing him get in the zone gave me a great opportunity to practice shooting in low light.

The light in our kitchen is very yellow-- I'm not sure how I'm ever going to be able to get nice food shots at night, but regardless of the lighting, I got a great portrait of Greg one evening while dinner was cooking.

Here I am painting my nails, as I usually do every other night (although most people probably don't put any on RIGHT before they leave for a night out!). Polish is SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE Violet Quartz.

We are on our way to The Edison in Downtown LA for a friend's 21st birthday!

The most challenging part of taking photographs, so far, seems to be getting myself into the habit of taking my camera with me when I go places that would make for interesting pictures. I'm hoping to be better about it!

Keep up with me around the web, if you'd like! I'm on Instagram at somelissasaid, on Twitter at @somelissasaid and on tumblr at hindsightt.tumblr.com. Feel free to tag me on any of these services as well, or with the hashtags #somelissasaid or #thesethingsfirst.