Happy Birthday to me!
There aren't too many memories from my childhood that I remember vividly. There are a select few that even though vague, I can slightly recollect the gist of an event or situation or something that happened, but there aren't many where I can recall every detail. Out of the few memories that I have that are extremely strong, one of them consists of sitting on my dads lap in the living room of our house in Wisconsin. We're both sitting back against his brown leather recliner chair, my hair is pulled back on the top of my head, and I'm in my pink bunny pajamas. I was fairly young, about six or seven years old at the time. I turned my head up toward my dad and said "Why does mommy always say that I have to listen because she's the mommy and she said so?" My dad give his usual hearty laugh before he replied, "It's usually because your mother has a reason that you're too young to understand." Not at all satisfied with his answer, I continued to push on. "So, when am I not going to be too young?" I challenged him. My dad looked down, tilted his head a bit and gave a small shrug. "When you're older, twenty five maybe." He said, giving a ball park figure that he assumed would appease me. To this day I still remember my response to him. My eyes grew large, my nose wrinkled and I threw my hands out dramatically. "Twenty five?" I asked incredulously. "That's like, in a million years from now." I said with great dramatic exasperation. My dad just laughed his usual laugh. "Ohh Jessie, they'll go by even faster than you think." If only I knew then how true his words would ring out.
Of course looking back at that memory now I laugh like crazy, especially since today is the day that I actually turn twenty five and can guarantee that it did not take a million years to get here as I was previously worried that it would. It actually only took less than twenty years from that date. Obviously a lot has changed since then. Remarkably enough I'd have to say that a whole lot has changed just within the last five to ten years. I made it out of Wisconsin, leaving not a moment sooner than I had graduated high school, packed myself up and made my way to California. I had always known that I had wanted to be an actress and there was no way that it was going to be happening in Wisconsin, that's for sure. I knew of all of the big plans that I had for myself and things that I wanted to see myself achieve, but knew that just wanting something was nowhere near enough to actually achieve it. I knew though that with sheer will and determination that I would be able to make all of my dreams come true. After all, nothing is worth achieving if you didn't have to work hard for it. Looking back, I don't know that I ever knew my life would be as great as it is right now and that turning twenty five would not seem like the free pass to the retirement home that I once thought it was. In a lot of ways it seems like this year, and the previous few have been just the beginning to a whole lot of wonderful things. Things that were once only part of my wildest dreams.
When I was younger, and dreaming of what things would exactly be like when I finally did make it to twenty five, I'm not sure if I ever knew just how many personal dreams and goals I would have been able to achieve, or how happy I would be right in this moment of time, after all there are more than enough things to be excited about. Being a part of one of the best shows of television is something that I am beyond grateful for every single day. To be able to show up for work every day is a joy, a big reason in part would definitely have to be the people that I get to work with, they are some of the greatest people that I have gotten to know and am glad to not only call them cast mates but also great friends. Speaking of great friends, I have had the immense pleasure of getting to know some of the most down to earth, kick ass, sweetest, loveliest, most amusing people around, and my life is nothing but greater because they are all a part of it. Every person that I've ever crossed paths with in my life has in some way or form shaped me into what and who I am today. When I was a little girl, I used to dream about being a princess and wearing the long flowing dress, luckily enough now, I get to do just that., and every time that I do, the little girl inside of me who used to love to play fairy princess dress up squeals a tiny little bit with excitement. When I used to sashay around the living room in my mother heels, it probably never once occurred to me that there would ever be a time where I was sitting front and center in the first row at fashion week, nor did I think that I would be the star of not just one, but two music videos. I don't honestly know if I expected all of the great things that I would be blessed with, but I am fully aware of all of them and thankful for them every single day. I'm also super duper excited about my newest project, the OP campaign, with the ever talented and beautiful agrondianna, and cmonteith, along with Alex Meraz and Trevor Donovan. We're following in the footsteps of annasb, brody_jenner and annalynnemc who did the campaign last year, so there are slightly big shoes to fill that hopefully we live up to!
In conclusion, here is to hoping that the new year of life that kicks off today brings as much good fortune, friendships, laughter, happiness, light and love as I have been lucky enough to be blessed with in the past. I am not yet sure of what exactly is going down in the general idea of birthday plans but knowing my friends, there will be strict rules against sitting at home in my pajamas watching cheesy sitcom reruns which would probably be my pick, and instead be dragged around semi willingly to participate in copious amounts of alcohol consumption. Well after all you do only turn older once a year right. OH and last but not least, I have finally gotten semi productive and picked myself a screen name, you can find me at jersey szohr. Please, please, please be sure to leave your screen name so I can add it to my currently very sad and very empty list.
Of course looking back at that memory now I laugh like crazy, especially since today is the day that I actually turn twenty five and can guarantee that it did not take a million years to get here as I was previously worried that it would. It actually only took less than twenty years from that date. Obviously a lot has changed since then. Remarkably enough I'd have to say that a whole lot has changed just within the last five to ten years. I made it out of Wisconsin, leaving not a moment sooner than I had graduated high school, packed myself up and made my way to California. I had always known that I had wanted to be an actress and there was no way that it was going to be happening in Wisconsin, that's for sure. I knew of all of the big plans that I had for myself and things that I wanted to see myself achieve, but knew that just wanting something was nowhere near enough to actually achieve it. I knew though that with sheer will and determination that I would be able to make all of my dreams come true. After all, nothing is worth achieving if you didn't have to work hard for it. Looking back, I don't know that I ever knew my life would be as great as it is right now and that turning twenty five would not seem like the free pass to the retirement home that I once thought it was. In a lot of ways it seems like this year, and the previous few have been just the beginning to a whole lot of wonderful things. Things that were once only part of my wildest dreams.
When I was younger, and dreaming of what things would exactly be like when I finally did make it to twenty five, I'm not sure if I ever knew just how many personal dreams and goals I would have been able to achieve, or how happy I would be right in this moment of time, after all there are more than enough things to be excited about. Being a part of one of the best shows of television is something that I am beyond grateful for every single day. To be able to show up for work every day is a joy, a big reason in part would definitely have to be the people that I get to work with, they are some of the greatest people that I have gotten to know and am glad to not only call them cast mates but also great friends. Speaking of great friends, I have had the immense pleasure of getting to know some of the most down to earth, kick ass, sweetest, loveliest, most amusing people around, and my life is nothing but greater because they are all a part of it. Every person that I've ever crossed paths with in my life has in some way or form shaped me into what and who I am today. When I was a little girl, I used to dream about being a princess and wearing the long flowing dress, luckily enough now, I get to do just that., and every time that I do, the little girl inside of me who used to love to play fairy princess dress up squeals a tiny little bit with excitement. When I used to sashay around the living room in my mother heels, it probably never once occurred to me that there would ever be a time where I was sitting front and center in the first row at fashion week, nor did I think that I would be the star of not just one, but two music videos. I don't honestly know if I expected all of the great things that I would be blessed with, but I am fully aware of all of them and thankful for them every single day. I'm also super duper excited about my newest project, the OP campaign, with the ever talented and beautiful agrondianna, and cmonteith, along with Alex Meraz and Trevor Donovan. We're following in the footsteps of annasb, brody_jenner and annalynnemc who did the campaign last year, so there are slightly big shoes to fill that hopefully we live up to!
In conclusion, here is to hoping that the new year of life that kicks off today brings as much good fortune, friendships, laughter, happiness, light and love as I have been lucky enough to be blessed with in the past. I am not yet sure of what exactly is going down in the general idea of birthday plans but knowing my friends, there will be strict rules against sitting at home in my pajamas watching cheesy sitcom reruns which would probably be my pick, and instead be dragged around semi willingly to participate in copious amounts of alcohol consumption. Well after all you do only turn older once a year right. OH and last but not least, I have finally gotten semi productive and picked myself a screen name, you can find me at jersey szohr. Please, please, please be sure to leave your screen name so I can add it to my currently very sad and very empty list.