Ms. In the Biz Post: THE WRITE STUFF – Finding the Right Mentors

Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse in the Lost writer’s room. They have nothing to do with my Ms. in the Biz post – I just really loved Lost.

Hey there everyone! First, I should let you know that there’s been a slight change in what I’ll be doing for Ms. In the Biz. I will no longer be doing a Pretty Plus column on its own, though I might pull that into my Pound By Pound posts on occasion. So, you can expect to hear from me weekly re: my Pound By Pound efforts and monthly re: writing. Got it?

Good.

And hey, speaking of writing, the first installment of “The Write Stuff” hit Ms. In the Biz today! My first writing column for the site both talks about seeking mentors and introduces The Writer’s Room, a select group of professional TV writers I know who’ve been kind enough to share their experience with you once a month. I hope you’ll find my writing journey enlightening (and when you don’t, I hope that you’ll at least garner some wisdom from folks who actually know what they’re talking about!).

EXCERPT:

6)    BE THE KIND OF PERSON PEOPLE WANT TO HELP – In the entertainment industry, more than anywhere else, collaborations and successful partnerships often come about by chance, and they come about through relationships you nurture, sometimes over years. You never know when they’re going to happen, or when those relationships are going to “pay off.” So, don’t be the kind of person who’s only interested in the payoff. Be kind and respectful to everyone. Yes, everyone. Even the people you’re not too crazy about. Even the assistants and the receptionists. Even people who aren’t already Somebody. Because you just never know. Also, help others. Don’t expect to receive without giving. Don’t hoard all of your opportunities. If you hear about a cool writing group, or a job opportunity you know would be up someone’s alley, tell a writer friend about it. If you write for an outlet that can promote someone’s work, offer to interview them or to do an article about what they’re working on. Offer to be a reader of people’s work, and give them thoughtful, constructive criticism when you do. I mean, you should strive to be this kind of person anyway. You know, because it’s better to not be a douche than to be a douche. But also keep in mind that the best way to get what you want is to help others get what they want. Kindness begets kindness.

To read the full article, and to leave a comment, CLICK HERE!

** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 **

SONG OF THE DAY: “The Bare Necessities” – Phil Harris (from The Jungle Book)

I’ve been in a Classic Disney mood lately! I’ve also been broke a lot lately. So, Baloo’s words about being happy with the “the simple bare necessities” ring very true. Because you know what? You don’t have to wait to have money to be happy.

Today’s Song of the Day is “The Bare Necessities” from Disney’s The Jungle Book, as sung by Phil Harris as Baloo. Enjoy!

** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 **

SONG OF THE DAY: “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” – James Baskett (from Song of the South)

Despite being hot as hell, yesterday was a pretty great day. It was a low-stress day at work, I had a Starbucks gift card that I used for a venti skinny caffe mocha, I wore a cute skirt, I had a great (and longer than planned!) jog, I got to see The Boy, and it was a beautiful, sunny day that turned into a warm, beautiful, breezy night. That great vibe has carried over into today. It’s a “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah day!”

So, today’s Song of the Day is “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” from the 1946 Disney movie, Song of the South, and sung by James Baskett, who played Uncle Remus. That movie did the animation/live-action combo WAY before Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Enjoy! And I hope you’re all having  a great day, too!

** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 **

TJEVlog #4: LIFE SNIPPETS – How to Meet Hot Guys While Hiking

So…when I say “new vlogs go up on Fridays,” what I mean is that they go up whenever the hell I want. One day, I will embrace consistency. Right now, this is just a fun thing I do sometimes.

Here’s the latest TJEVlog. It’s #4, and it’s a “Life Snippet,” meaning I’ve taken the camera out and about with me in my “real life.” This is from the most recent Teresa’s Hike & Brunch at the end of last month, and in it, you’ll see my Pro Tip for meeting cute guys on the hiking trail. Enjoy!

And don’t forget that there have been three vlogs before this one if you’d like to catch up:

TJEVlog #3: Be a Fucking Ray of Sunshine

TJEVlog #2: LIFE SNIPPETS – Hiking Runyon With Heather

TJEVlog #1: Introducing the Pound By Pound Pledge Drive!

** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 **

SONG OF THE DAY: SPACE ODDITY – DAVID BOWIE

There is only one reason why this is the song of the day. So that I can make sure you have seen the majesty that is the original 1969 music video for this song, before “music videos” were  A Thing. It’s a slightly different recording than the one I’m used to hearing. Also, David Bowie looks like a baby! And oh his skilled acting…

Today’s Song of the Day is “Space Oddity” by David Bowie.

** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 **

POUND BY POUND: MY FITNESS GOALS FOR THE WEEK (WEEK 5!)

I love this little rhino! From now on, he shall be my Fitness Goals mascot and grace all these posts.

Once again, this past week in fitness goals had strong points and weak points, and I didn’t follow it entirely.

The thing of which I’m the most proud? I re-did Week One of the Couch to 5K program and completed every day in full! Huzzah! It helped that, on one day, I was accompanied by my friend, Mairghread. Time goes a lot faster when you’re jogging and chatting with a friend. She’s going to be joining me this week, too!

So, what didn’t I do? My mini-workout on the days I wasn’t running, which is ridiculous, as it only takes five minutes to do. Now, to be fair, on my off-running days this week, I either had The Boy staying over at my place, or I was at The Boy’s, but he knows I’m trying to lose weight, and he’s super-supportive. Why wouldn’t I stick to my mini-workout even with him around?

Exactly. There’s no excuse. I’ve always felt weird about people watching me work out, especially when I’m not in a workout environment (ie: like when I’m at home. I’ve always been self-conscious about exercising around roommates, and now, around The Boy), but I need to get over it. Especially where The Boy is concerned. Just because I plan on keeping The Boy around doesn’t mean I’m not gonna be living the rest of my life around him. Also, what am I embarrassed about, period? There’s no good answer to that question, so DO YOUR MINI-WORKOUT IN THE MORNING NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE OR WITH WHOM YOU’RE SPENDING IT, TERESA!

As far as eating, I stayed within my allotted Weight Watchers points for the week (woot), and I had at least a couple of meals where I was either talking with The Boy (and not watching anything on TV), or where I was sitting quietly or eating more mindfully than usual.

Lastly, I cancelled Teresa’s Hike & Brunch today, because I didn’t want to compete w/anyone needing to spend time with their mothers on Mother’s Day. My two “official” May hikes are now on the 19th and the 26th. HOWEVER, that didn’t stop me and my friend, Heather, from hiking for two hours at Griffith Park today anyway! You know, ’cause that’s how we roll now.

MY GOALS FOR THIS WEEK:

• Complete WEEK TWO of the Couch to 5K program (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday)
• Do my mini-workout on Wednesday and Friday mornings
• Use the stairs every single time I take the train to and from work
• Use only 29 of my allotted 49 weekly Weight Watchers points (these are the points you’re allowed IN ADDITION TO your daily points) – last week I only used 23, so this is doable.

Wish me luck this week, and make sure you check out (and pledge to!) the POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE, which is the reason I’m doing all this! THANK YOU!

Celebrating Mother’s Day (and My Mom)!

On days like this, I miss my own mother, who passed away seven years ago.

My mom in the mid-90s. Wasn’t she purdy?

In honor of my mother, Mariana Jusino, and all our mothers (both with us and not), please consider pledging to the Pound By Pound Pledge Drive. Or if not that, choose a charity/cause that means something to you and your mom. Celebrate the woman who raised you and taught you values by showing her what a great job she did in turning you into the kind of person who cares about the world around them!

Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!

MS. IN THE BIZ POST: Pound By Pound – The Journey Begins

Mom, Dad, and Baby Me. This is the thinnest I’ve ever been. 1979.

My first Ms. In the Biz post is up today! It’s the first of my weekly posts about the Pound By Pound Pledge Drive, and I’m actually really proud of this one.

EXCERPT:

Being a writer isn’t exactly conducive to engaging in any kind of fitness.  Your job pretty much consists of sitting on your ass and thinking. At most, you might type so much you develop carpal tunnel syndrome.

Thing is, I can’t blame my weight on my job. While I’ve been writing stories from the time I was three, I’ve only been a professional writer for three years. I’ve been fat forever. Blame it on the enormous servings of rice and beans with which I grew up. Blame it on using food to escape family troubles when I was a kid. Blame it on the self-sustaining cycle of being made fun of for being fat, which made me sad, which made me eat, which made me fat, which got me made fun of, which made me sad, which made me eat, which made me fat…

Point is, my being fat isn’t new. What is new is how I feel about myself and how much I, as a woman in her early thirties, think I’m worth. (Answer:  a lot) This has a lot to do with my mother.

To read the complete post, and to post a comment, CLICK HERE! Please don’t comment here! Get on over to Ms. In the Biz!

MS. IN THE BIZ LAUNCHES TODAY!

Me and Ms. In the Biz founder/editor, Helenna Santos-Levy at the Ms. In the Biz/FilmBreak launch mixer. Photo by Michael Jackson of ChileJam!

I’m so excited to finally be able to tell you that MS. IN THE BIZ, a new site I’ll be writing for, LAUNCHES TODAY! Go on over and check it out!

One of the things that excites me most about this new endeavor is the community that editor and founder, Helenna Santos-Levy, has managed to create. There are 70+ bloggers on the site, and having had the opportunity to meet many of them at several events now, I have to say that I am so proud to be associated with such a creative, brilliant, and genuinely kind group of women. We are at all different levels of the entertainment industry, but we are all there for each other and support each other and each other’s work. I can’t wait to get to know these ladies better and read all of their contributions to the site!

As for me, I’ll be contributing 3 regular columns:

• Pound By Pound – updates on my fitness and my pledge drive. Weekly.
• The Write Stuff – a day in the life of a woman trying to break into the mad, mad world of TV writing (and other types of scribbling for a living). Monthly.
• Pretty Plus – I try to get my look together and show you how to find awesome, quality plus-size fashion on a budget, with the help of some stylish friends! Monthly.

And you’ll be able to find links to all my Ms. In the Biz posts here at The Teresa Jusino Experience! Stay tuned for those, and in the meantime, go check out the site now! You’ll love it!

Me and some of the Ms. In the Biz ladies (and a gentleman!) at the Ms. In the Biz/FilmBreak launch mixer. Photo by Michael Jackson of ChileJam!

** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 **

SONG OF THE DAY: “SAIL” – AWOL NATION

Awol Nation

When I was writing for the now sadly defunct Red Bull culture site, ChinaShop Magazine, I went to my first (and thusfar ONLY) Fashion Week party a couple of years ago. This up and coming band called Awol Nation was playing the party because they were a Red Bull artist, and their CD was all up in the gift bags. I was like, meh. Whatever. Wasn’t particularly impressed.

This morning, I couldn’t get their song “Sail” out of my head. It’s funny how a couple of years can change things!

Today’s Song of the Day is “Sail” by Awol Nation. Enjoy!

** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 **