Tag: friendship

Episode 53: Friendship – Show Notes

Briana Hansen1 Comment

old cowboy

In this episode of Femoir: The Podcast, I start with a story about my grandpa saying, “I’m particular about my company.” From all the pictures I’ve seen, he looked a lot like this guy.

I talked about how I didn’t experience a lot of cliques in the schools I went to while growing up. Those schools were Sycamore School and BJPS, for anyone interested.

I also talk about how grateful I am to some of the friends in my life. For anyone who missed it, here are some of the articles I’ve written recently:

My Bop, Love Letter, Making Dreams Come True, Lucky Lady

I also referenced my web series I’m filming that so many friends are involved with. It’s called The Other Client List. Check it out!

Don’t forget to subscribe for free on iTunes!

My BOP

Briana Hansen3 Comments

Saturday, Feb 22 is my bestest friend in the entire world’s birthday.bop

I don’t often talk about her in blog form. But she’s been one of the most important people and constant support systems in my life.

If you ever hear me talk about how grateful I am for the inspiring, loving, supportive people in my life, you better believe she’s at the top of that list.

She’s a jet pilot and a devoted wife and a disciplined athlete and a brave badass and a talented skiier and an inspiration. Just to name a few roles she plays any given day.

I like to make people laugh. And I love to make both strangers and loved ones laugh. But there is no happiness or satisfaction I get more in any aspect of my life than making that chick laugh.

She works her butt off every single day. People sometimes compliment my  work ethic. And while I appreciate it, I’m nothing compared to this woman. She’s does more in one day before I wake up than I can do in an entire week. I’ve never heard her make an excuse for anything or anyone in the 20+ years I’ve known her.

We don’t talk every day. Because we don’t have to. We know we’re always there for each other. No matter what.

We call each other BOP. I’d tell you why, but it’s a story about us. And this is about her.

I adore her. She’s my favorite person on the planet. She’s my best friend, my chosen sister, my biggest fan, my unconditional support system, and my daily inspiration.

I hope you’re lucky enough to have a best friend like her in your life.

But you can’t have her. She’s already taken, buddy, so back off.

Happiest of Birthdays, Bop.

Love,

Bop

Lucky Lady

Briana Hansen1 Comment

The end of the year is always a good time for reminiscing. And I want to take a moment to reminisce about how lucky I am to have the friends I do in my world.

For the past year, I’ve been better about keeping a journal more than I ever have in my life. It chronicles the day’s adventures. It chronicles my career progression. But it also chronicles the friends I’m lucky enough to have in my circles. And damn. They are some kick ass friends.

I’m not a native of Los Angeles, so my friends out here are my chosen family. And I gotta say- I’m lucky to have chosen and be chosen by them. I get to hang with some of the funniest, most supportive, nicest, and most entertaining and interesting people in the universe. I am constantly in awe of how lucky I am.

And outside of LA, I have a beautiful network of people who are extremely supportive and loving and hilarious and inspirational and interesting. And I’m so grateful. Like, so so so grateful.

How lucky can one girl get, really?

It’s funny. When I first starting pursuing my career goals hard after college, a part of me started seeing some of my peers ascending and progressing much faster than me to national and international stages. And I was happy for them. But there was this part of me that was frustrated and jealous every time they achieved and I didn’t.

I don’t know if its perspective or age or maturity or what… but I can honestly say that’s no longer the case. Now, I’m so proud of and excited for all my friends that when someone does something spectacular- I’m almost more excited than they are for it. It feels like such a better headspace to be in, too. It’s more natural and creates more enthusiasm and light for everyone.

My one friend has a web series that is being featured all over with hundreds of thousands of views. He is killing it. And I couldn’t be more proud.

Another friend is in a major holiday production at a theater in town. She’s hilarious and will annihilate the role and hopefully get huge gigs out of it. Because she absolutely deserves it. And I couldn’t be more proud.

Another friend of mine has a series on Comedy Central she wrote for premiering. WHAT? That’s so freaking awesome. I’m so excited for her.

One of my friends has become a legitimate rockstar. I was there for his solo piano shows in coffee shops just before he formed this band. Now I hear him on the radio, in Trader Joes and at the gym. He opened for a huge rockstar last summer. Because he’s a rockstar himself. And if you know me, you know I still freak out and giggle profusely every time I hear his song.

Have I mentioned I’m so freaking proud of these people? And these are just a few. The list goes on and one and on.

All of these are a reminder that dreams come true.

And that a rising tide raises all ships.

So if you’re reading this and you’re working hard to accomplish your dream, I’m so freakin proud of you. And if you’re one of the people I’m lucky enough to have in my inner circle and consider a friend, please know that I am so grateful to have to you around.

Like, fo realz.

 

 

 

Parking Attendant Bestie

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I’ve learned to be careful what you wish for.

I said not long ago when I was talking about my new gym that one of my goals was to make best friends with the morning parking attendant.

Here’s the update.

The original guy who was the attendant and I never really became besties. But he left and was replaced by the friendliest parking guy in the world.

I think I may be one of the few people who actually acknowledges him in the morning. And as a result, I’m clearly one of his favroites. From the moment I get there and choose a parking space, he’s right next to me. He helps me park, says “Good moring hawnee” and walks with me to the staircase that leads to the gym. The other day, he gave me “pie fine” which I learned from his outstretched hand meant “Hi-Five.”

Last week, he walked me all the way to my car and opened the door for me. Every day I see him he always says “See you tomorrow, hawnee.” Because of my schedule, I don’t always make it to the gym daily. He doesn’t care. He says it every time I see him. Even Fridays. And he doesn’t work Saturdays.

It’s only a matter of time before this turns to hugging.

And as much as I’m glad to have a friendly face in the morning… it’s a little much for my sleepy, tired, sweaty self.

But…it’s not his fault. I asked for it. And the universe provides what you ask it for. Even when the results aren’t exactly what you expected.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Westside…

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I got in a shuttle in LAX headed home from a weekend at the Out of Bounds Comedy Festival in Texas (with TMI, not Femoir… though the show will hopefully be back on stages again very soon!). I got talking to the woman I was sharing a shuttle with. We started talking Lil Wayne because she was headed to his concert. I started talking about how much I love Lil Wayne.

For those of you just joining us, every podcast episode since January of this year has begun with a rap song. I love rap. My favorite artist right now is Lil Wayne. I think he’s extremely innovative and exciting. I listen to him at work when everyone else is gone. I blare the speakers and take in everything he says. He’s a master at mixing killer beats with really creative lyrics. I love him.

I listen to a Lil Wayne song to wake me up in the morning. I listen to a different Lil Wayne song when I need to really get pumped to work out. I listen to a different Lil Wayne song when I want to relax. I love him.

One of the nicknames I gave my new car is Weezy because it’s little and black and totally fierce. I love Lil Wayne. Have I mentioned that? Because I do.

Anyway, because this woman mentioned Lil Wayne, we obviously got talking about hip hop. Turns out, she’s an artist and had produced a couple videos and a bunch of songs. Which is funny because… ahem… yours truly is also an artist who’s produced a couple videos and a bunch of songs. So we showed each other some of our work and gave each other feedback.

She inspired me to bring back my B-Eazy personality (@BEazyHipHop on Twitter) that has been dormant since I left Chicago. That chick is fierce. She needs to come alive again.

So me and my new hip hop friend from Brooklyn talked for the entire shuttle ride about music and creating and art. The other two women who were headed to Brentwood and Malibu (ritzy areas, y’all) weren’t sure what to do with us. So they kept quiet and stared out the window without saying a word.

I made a new friend. A new music friend! And, thanks to Femoir: The Podcast (and especially the latest SPECIAL RAP COMPILATION episode), I had 40 minutes worth of hip hop beats to share with my new friend. We made it through about five of them. But that’s five more than I had last year!

Here’s my new friend’s latest beat. Her name is JL Moreau. She and I got it turnted up, y’all. Which I think is a good thing. I’m still learning!

Speaking of, I need to send her an email. Maybe we’ll go to a Lil Wayne concert together! You never know!

Friends!

Woman continues to function despite not caring about Jon Gosselin

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The first time Tracy McClurg looked at a picture of Jon Gosselin, she laughed out loud, saying “What’s so special about that weird-looking dude?” This happened yesterday.

McClurg, who is quite savvy with most current political, international, and economic events, has somehow managed to avoid knowing anything about the Jon Gosselin. “Why would I give a —- about some loser on a reality TV show?” she says.

When his name was first mentioned in casual conversation yesterday, her friends were shocked when she said, “Who’s that?” They began hounding her with questions as to how she has been able to function in the world without knowing the details and drama of the famous Jon and Kate Plus 8 affair details.

McClurg explains, “I get up in the morning, check out the news sources I care about, read stuff I care about, and get on with my life.” For many of her friends who are obsessed with the affair, the gossip, and the juicy details of the man’s every move, they cannot understand how her life can seem fulfilled.

“I just don’t care what this guy is doing. He’s just some guy who had cameras follow him around for a reality TV show. He’s got no talent or special something to him. Why would I waste my time and energy caring about him?” she says.

For her friends, this sentiment has begun to cause a bit of a rift between them. Many of them only know how to talk about him or Heidi and Spencer or a thousands of other stars made famous by having nothing particularly special about them.

McClurg simply hopes they’ll get over it. Until then, she continues to not care, stating, “Like I said, I don’t give a —-.”