Chapter 3: From Courtrooms to Cartoons

Okay, so here’s the deal—I thought I was going to be a great paralegal. Turns out, not so much. My first temp job was at a law firm in downtown Los Angeles, which sounds fancy, but in reality? It was brutal. Oh, and did I mention that I had just gotten divorced and decided to move to LA? Yep, big life changes all around.

At that law firm, sleep was optional. And by “optional,” I mean most people just gave up on it entirely. Some paralegals lived in their offices. I saw moms missing their kids’ soccer games and even their babies’ first steps. Me? I was so sleep-deprived that my brain was basically running on empty—I made mistakes constantly. After about six weeks, I realized that a job that required zombie-mode 24/7 wasn’t for me.

So, I pivoted. Entertainment industry, here I come!

The Not-So-Glamorous Side of Showbiz

I landed a job at a small talent agency called Amsel, Eisenstadt, and Frasier. The pay? A whopping $350 a week (basically pocket change in LA). But the fun? Priceless. Our clients were a mix of “has-beens” and “wannabes,” and every single one had a story. The office was full of characters—both the ones we represented and the ones we worked with. Lunchtime meant playing reverse Jeopardy, and the holiday season? Absolute chaos. One year, my coworker Indra went all out decorating an agent’s office with Christmas stickers everywhere—even though he was Jewish. The next year, he got his revenge by covering her office with dreidels. I laughed so hard I nearly cried.

After about 14 months of living the Hollywood dream, I realized I needed more money and actual benefits. So, I leveled up to William Morris, a huge talent agency, working in TV Business Affairs. That gig lasted…10 months. Why? Because the head of our department asked me to forge a personal document. Uh, no thanks! I refused, and they were so “helpful” in finding me a new job. Byeee!

Next stop: IDT Entertainment/Film Roman—the company behind The Simpsons! (Yes, that Simpsons, which I’ve never watched!) I worked as an assistant to the president, who was basically a rich kid who landed the job because of his dad. He was cocky, hilariously clueless, and working for him was its own sitcom. After about a year, I transferred upstairs to Business Affairs (aka sales and contracts), and that was actually fun.

Then, plot twist: I got passed up for a big promotion by a very nice but very inexperienced 20-something blonde. She spent months asking me how to do the job I should’ve gotten. After three months of playing “Help Desk,” I decided it was time to move on.

Leaving Hollywood for a Greener Future

Enter my next adventure—communications at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), part of the California Environmental Protection Agency. It was my next real step toward becoming EcoNana, and let’s just say…things were about to get interesting.

Check back here for the next chapter of my crazy life!