The Golden Rules of Friendship

Over the years many of us have all had our fair share of making and losing friends. Some of the those relationships have lingered and stayed strong, others have crashed and burned quicker than a Sarah Palin bid for the presidency. But - what always seems to surprise me- is how I feel when I realize- I have failed in allowing a bad person into my life- and ultimately losing their friendship.

Now, in all fairness, we chose who we let in and out of our lives- and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a failed relationship (friendship or intimate) because not everyone gets along. None of us are bound together by some universal contract. But- what I find hard is that I truly believe in the best of people and hope that they can be somewhat reciprocating when it comes to the "unspoken rules" of friendship.

The rules? you ask. Well- yes. Lets make them up- and say that there are 4 cardinal rules of friendship.

1. You are "there" for your friend. (period)

This one is pretty standard. When they cry- you give the shoulder, when they are sick- you bring them soup, when they are happy- you celebrate with them. When they are upset- you understand and listen- the basics- you get the point.


2. You are mutually and unabashedly supportive of your friend.

When you ask your friend for help- you return the favor. Helping them move, going for a drive, going out, taking them to dinner, doing something you hate. Friends should just... do.

3. You trust your friend.

A good friend will NEVER let you down. So if they are telling you your too drunk- your too drunk. if they are telling you to start hitting the gym- go, if they hate the guy you are dating- there is a reason. A friend should know you inside and out. So you should trust them- they are your protector.

4. You are always "present" in some way shape or form in their lives.

This one is the golden rule in my book. There is nothing worse than having a friend that isn't "present" while you hang out with them. Distracted by the phone, talking about themselves or never asking how your day was. BE PRESENT people! Get to know your good friends- nine times out of ten- they have something to talk to you about.

Now- after all this is said and done- Im sure there can be a few more rules added in- but why? Keep it simple right. More rules than this only apply to relationships. In my opinion- the best of friends are able to maintain these four rules and have a long standing friendship with you. If they don't, then they were just acquaintances.

One Year

On March 27, 2009- I moved to LA to change my life, start a new career and raise the bar on my own personal expectations of who I am.

One year ago I was sleeping on an air mattress in studio in Hollywood- by the grace and kindness of my dear friend Jade- I started my journey. With more lows than highs- more downs than ups- I fought for every ounce of dignity, respect and dollar in my pocket. This town has no mercy and is not for the kind of heart. You must fight for everything you own and everything you do not.

A starry eyed nieve young man- I bounced around trying to fit in where I could. I ended a realtionship and no longer wanted to move forward into another on until I really truel;y discovered who I was going to be. What I discovered along the way was the power of the Universe. What you think will happen- will. What you negately offer to the universe in ways of energy and thought- will only bring negativity to you.

This discovery allowed me to trust the universe in all that I did and chose. No matter what happened along my journey- my focus and ultimate trust in the ways of the universe gave me everything I needed.

So one year later- I survived the hustle. Though far from over- I can with absolute faith say to anyone- that all I have is what I have fought for and made for myself. I remember the people that commented on my inablity to become an Angelino, or that I could survive here. To them- I say thank you. You were the best motivation.

(15) Minutes

Well- it has been excactly two weeks since my tv debut and I must say its a crazy web that Hollywood spins. I dont think in any way that being on a reality show justifies me as any sort of celebrity- but I think my 15 minutes has given me a taste of what that feels like. For most of you you who dont know, I appeared in two episodes of season 3 of Millionaire Matchmaker. My second episode, which I dated an "Eco Millionaire" - put me on the map as the most democratic and patient dater of the universe. He was a bit crazy, to say the least.

The days that followed were sureal- a front page story on the Guam newspaper, The Pacific Daily News, an onslought of Facebook friend requests, Sugar daddy offers, and the best part- free drinks for those wishing to praise me for not walking off the set during my disaster date. What still takes getting used to is people stopping me out in public (ie Target, the grocery store, etc.) and being excited to share thier opinions with me about the show. All of them are very sweet- but it always catches me off guard. Sometimes I get the point and whisper of people - and thats uncomforatble. But I guess its all part of the gig. Taken all with good humor- of course.

"So what now what?" is what im constantly asked- do I want to do more tv? Yes- of course, but what kind? Or do I simply bow out gracefully and go back to being a writer? All this- is yet to be determined.