#WTF: About the last 24 hours ... Can I get a rundown? (Giovanni Ribisi, Facebook Date, Sean Hayes)

Oh goodness gracious - what a weirdly wonderful last 24 hours that I've just had.

I swear the more you embrace the absurd the more the universe magnifies it for you. First up, here's the song that goes with the post ... I'm slightly embarrassed to say this is what I'm currently listening to.

I swear the things I would do to Pitbull is absurd. I don't know where this bald headed fetish that I have came from ... but I think Pitt is literally the sexiest thing on the planet. It's gotta be his swagger, but I would fuck the SHIT out of him. Like no joke ... hmmmmmmm wonder if I can tweet him ... ::excellent::

Anywho, so yesterday I came into the office ... see, TNTML HQ is inside the world famous Berrics. No, like for real - Steve Berra is friends with my friend and business partner @JennHoffman and hooked us up with some SUPER RAD office space.

No strings attached - nada ... he just hearts hardcore bitches, and that is what we be. (Everyday I'm hustling.)

So, I'm in the office yesterday for the first time since the holidays and I'm sitting here writing out a post, and Steve comes knocking on our office door.

We started shooting the shit, exchanged NYE stories - the usual ... then all of the sudden, Giovanni Ribisi popped his head in too.

Steve goes, Giovanni this is Jen/ Jen - Giovanni ... I was all ... SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! I know who you are!!!

Of course I didn't say that (after living in LA for almost 8 years, I've managed to keep the OhEmGee-ness down)- I simply smiled and continued talking to Steve while pretending to type up some super fancy pants thing but like a good nerd, I was tweeting ... 

Totally a nice guy, btw.

So, then they both left ... and a few minutes later I popped on a call. Now, the Berrics is a rad place, but it's a warehouse. While everyone has an office and their own space, it's still a freaking warehouse in that there are no ceilings - all of the offices can hear each other.

When I get excited talking about a project on the phone my voice will gradually get louder and louder as I start to talk faster and faster.

Apparently I was SUPER excited because I got crazy loud and after a few minutes Giovanni pops back into our office and asks if I wouldn't mind keeping it down a smidgen as they were filming. 

In a SUPER nice way of course ... so I shook my head yes, for sure - while secretly I was DYING thinking OMG OMG OMG Giovanni just asked me to keep my voice down ... that is AH-MAZING!!!

Then a few hours later my phone rang again (this time my dad), so I was smart enough to whisper (as to not upset the production).

My dad: Is everything okay? Why are you whispering?

Me: Oh! Because Giovanni Ribisi asked me to keep my voice down.

My dad:  Wait, the actor?

Me: Yep!

My dad:  Where are you?

Me: Work

My dad:  And Giovanni Ribisi is there?

Me: Yep!

My dad: Do you need me to call you back?

Me: Nope!

I then stepped outside to talk to him.

Are you sure I'm not bothering you? he pressed on.

Nope, it's all good dad.

Why are you with Giovanni Ribisi?

Oh! He's working with Steve, the dude that gave us the office space, on something for The Berrics.

I don't understand your life, daughter.

It's all good dad. My clothes are still on and life is bueno. What's kickin?

Well, we were shipping something to your brother from a company (from my grandmother's estate) and they claimed to have lost it. I've already threatened them with a lawsuit (my dad is a corporate lawyer - you don't ever ever ever want to mess with him. He gets paid to get nasty on a daily basis.), but I know you've had success going after people using social media and I was wondering what techniques you would recommend.

I then asked a bit more about the situation, and about what the contract stated (with shipping companies after a certain amount of time, usually 30 days, you technically forefit the items), how long ago it was supposed to be there ... etc.

He then gave me the rundown, and I told him I would keep names of everyone he spoke to but wait until next week to let them sweat it out a bit more then unleash a twitter storm.

See, it's pretty cool that no matter how big or how small a company is - within a few tweets you can usually get to the CEO or pretty damn close. But again, it's all about strategy and what he needed to do right now was to wait before playing his biggest card.

<tangent> I can't really explain more of it without giving it all away - but next week if they don't get my grandmother's stuff to my brother, expect a pretty nasty post. These people are incorrigible!! Even though my dad is a lawyer he is NOT a litigious person, but man oh man has this crowd fucked up royally. </tangent>

Okay, my dad said - I'll let you get back to Giovanni. Your mother has asked you to post a picture on Facebook if you get a chance.

Dad, I can't "be that girl," but I will do my best.

That's all we ask for, daughter.

I then went back inside, finished up my work day - and went back home to get ready for my first ever Facebook date.

See, on Sunday I got hit up by a friend on Facebook saying he wanted me to meet a friend of his. Here's the actual convo ...

That was literally the extent of the conversation, and FTR - I could barely see the duderino in the pic but his friend was cute and cute dudes tend to travel in packs so I figured it was a given that he would be pretty hot.

I then got ready, and it occurred to me that I was going into this COMPLETELY blind. Normally on a date I can check out someone's social media profiles, and at least using OkCupid there is a compatibility prerequisite. I might not have ever met the person before, obvs, but I can do some SERIOUS snooping prior to make sure it's going to be a fit.

I can't believe I am going into this so blind I thought. This is SO unlike me! I then posted my reservation on Facebook ...

I then got into a cab and headed over to the agreed location. As I neared the bar though, my heart started to pound.

I can't believe I'm going in so blind ... this is SO FREAKING WEIRD!!!!

I wasn't sure if it was the loss of control that made me anxious or what - but I suddenly felt in the pit of my stomach that I was going to be surprised.

I am very very very rarely EVER surprised.

See, working in social media has allowed me to read people and assess situations SUPER well. One and one constantly equal two - and while I'm blessed and excited to be alive ever day, VERY rarely am I ever truly surprised at something.

I just KNEWWWWW though in my depths of my everything, I was going to be surprised. I could SMELL it.

Putting my anxiety aside, I then just started taking a series of deep breaths knowing that I was safe, and whatever the surprise was going to be, I could totally handle it.

My brain went mostly to the fact that maybe his friend would also be here, and have a camera or I'd be "punked" in some fashion, as both guys work in the entertainment industry - but again, I was just down for whatever; I'm ALWAYS game to meet new people. 

<tangent> OMG I just went to the bathroom and omw back was dancing in the halls and Giovanni walked by. HAHAHAH dork dork dork dork dork. Deep breath Friel. </tangent>

QUIT JUDGING ME WITH YOUR DREAMY DREAMY EYES RIBISI!!!!

Anyway, back to the story ... I sat down at a booth and moments later my date walks in ... solo.

Okay, maybe I'm not being punked, this is still kinda weird though.

He then greets me with a big smile and a hug immediately putting me at ease. INSTANTLY I could tell by this dudes energy that everything was going to be copasetic.

We then grab a beer (which he pays for) and start shooting the shit.

I ask the questions at first, then he starts in ... "I gotta tell you something, I didn't read your website. I wanted to meet you first."

Wait, like nothing? I think

NOOOOOOOOOO!!! Now I'm going to have to tell you all about what I do and and and it's going to get weird.

See, the one thing that I LOVE about lifecasting is that I very very very rarely ever have to talk about myself. I go out on dates with dudes from OkCupid who have obvs read about what I do, and checked out the site. I then enter EVERY conversation midway through, not having to go into a lot of history and bullshit.

15 minutes later, I'm still talking ... and he keeps staring at me ... shocked.

Wait, how many people write on the site? Wait, you do WHAT?!

Yep.

Wow, I had no idea!

We then started talking about our passions and I reinforced that all I'm doing on the site is following my passion and seeing where it takes me. For the last two years passion has fed my soul even during times I couldn't feed my belly.

We then grab another round and keep talking.

I'm really enjoying myself, he said.

Thanks! Me too!

As our beers went down, he then comes across the booth.

Here, I want to see something ...

He then sits down next to me as I make room genuinely perplexed at what he is going to do.

... and then he kissed me.

WWAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTT a second I thought, completely shocked.

Now, mind you, we were having a BITCHIN conversation, and really really really getting along - but guys NEVER kiss me on a first date when it's based online.

The first get together is sort of like a sniffing out of, hey do we like each other IRL, is this going to happen. NEVER EVER EVER in a year and a half of online dating has someone done that.

INCREDIBLY bold, but genuinely shook me.

Again, had we been two people having met at a bar and on a first date of COURSE he should have kissed me. We were deeply engrossed in conversation, totally hitting it off - but I was shocked and so UNBELIEVABLY surprised that he did that. And not in a good or bad way, just indifferent. No one has done that before, most guys are afraid to touch me let alone kiss me on an internet first date.

Here, let me take you back, he said.

He then called me a cab and after a final kiss goodnight we called it an evening.

I sat in the cab for a moment afterwards laughing - so that was the surprise I felt coming? High-larious and way better than having Ashton Kutcher pop out of a bush.

So, that happened.

Then this morning, I got up answered all of your loverly emails and tweets - and on my way into the office I was laughing thinking how random life was. There is consistently SO MUCH AWESOMENESS happening in LA at all times, that this can't be real life.

The thought barely left my head before I looked over and saw Sean Hayes eating breakfast with two companions at my favorite french eatery.

Shut. The. Front. Door.

I friggen LOVE him!

I laughed as I tweeted out my find. Goodness gracious - awesome manifests in a moments notice!

SO FREAKING RAD!!!

And there ya go! That was my Monday and Tuesday morning.

Tonight, I'm hosting trivia over at Goal. Feel free to stop by and say hi! I'm SUURRRREEEE an adventure will be had!

Peace love and lollipops, nerderinos! Keep on hustling! xoxoxxoxoxoxxoo

#love