May 2012
4 posts
"Something Else"
I was going to write this week’s post about how “Project Helenna” is going and specifically about fitness and the amazing “MyFitnessPal” app, but then I saw my dear friend Rhoslyn, and well, plans changed.
Rhoslyn has been one of my oldest and dearest friends since I was like, 12 years old and we spent the night catching up after not seeing each other for 2 years....
25 tags
Asian in Hollywood?
Yes, I’m Asian. This usually surprises people since my family name is Santos and people automatically assume it’s Spanish. While this is true, it is also a Filipino surname, and I am in fact Filipino.
In truth, I am what Hollywood likes to label as “ethnically ambiguous” which can be a blessing and a curse. I have been very lucky to be able to play characters from a...
9 tags
Thank You Krysten Ritter
Earlier this month my ginger BFF Risdon Roberts and I attended a talk with Krysten Ritter at the Writer’s Bootcamp in West LA.
I’ve gone to a number of talks around Los Angeles and I always love attending the ones where you leave feeling like you are on the right path. This was one of those talks.
I’d say that the number one most difficult thing about being an actor in Los...
18 tags
Project Helenna - Part Two
I ended my last post “Project Helenna - Part One” by saying that “I am now declaring my remainder of 2012 as the year of “Project Helenna.”
If you’re wondering why, feel free to go back and read my previous post to get caught up. For those of you looking for details on just how I’m going to get down to business, here is what I mean…
I am turning my focus...
April 2012
4 posts
14 tags
Project Helenna - Part One
Recently a number of people have been asking me what my next producing project is going to be. My simplest answer?
Me.
After having spent the last few years as what my friend Bonnie Gillespie (casting director/author) would call a “self producing actor,” I’ve churned out a heck of a lot of content. From my web series pilot The Day Player back in 2009 to 98 episodes of my...
Becoming American
It’s official. My husband is now an American! Well, technically he’s now a dual US/Canadian citizen and this is pretty much one of the biggest milestones in our lives together to date. We originally started the immigration process about six and a half years ago and it’s been a very long haul.
Thanks to the fact that I was born in the US but my Mother is Canadian,...
6 tags
10 Things I've Learned From 'The Voice'
I’m addicted to NBC’s “The Voice.” I tweet about it a lot and I’ve blogged about it before, but man, I really am addicted. Now, I usually really dislike reality TV. I’ve never been a fan of “American Idol” and I don’t watch “The Bachelor,” but “The Voice” has me completely hooked.
You can read my first post...
Don't Give Up
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at: aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;) ______________________________________
I think one of the hardest things I deal with as an artist is that nagging evil devil on my shoulder that tells me that I suck or that I can’t do something. My acting coach Jack Plotnick calls it your “vulture” and my career coach Barbara Deutsch...
March 2012
5 posts
11 tags
The Sky is Falling
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at: aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;) ______________________________________
The sky is falling and we are all in it together. At least, that’s how this week has felt.
It’s kind of crazy how so many of the artistic people in my life have been having similar experiences lately. For a lot of people myself included, it seems like...
19 tags
Top Life Moments
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at: aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;) ______________________________________
This past week 2 major top life moments happened for me: the American Reunion premiere and WonderCon. Instead of putting pen to virtual paper, I decided that I should vlog to commemorate all of the awesome things that have happened and explain to you all just why...
9 tags
Are you as burnt as me?
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at: aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;) ______________________________________
Okay, I have to say I am totally and completely burnt. Now, this is one of those things that somehow feels like a sin to admit. Everyone is hustling and working hard and making things happen for themselves in their lives and careers, and somehow I feel like no one...
Happiness
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at: aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;) ______________________________________
I am back at my parent’s place just outside of Vancouver, B.C. Canada and it has already been a very emotional trip in just one day. I found out a bunch of sad/bad news.
As everyone says things happen in threes. The third and last piece of news I got was of...
Sad Nerd.
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at: aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;) ______________________________________
AHHHHHHH!!!! Help??? What is a nerdy girl to do when her computer is BUSTED???!!!
I’ve been in hell the past two days and unable to connect to the internet.
I’m using a random P.C. that we have in our place, but I’m a Mac girl and P.C.s are...
February 2012
4 posts
6 tags
Choosing the Artist's Life
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at: aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;) ______________________________________
Lately I have been listening to a podcast called Inside Acting. At the end of each episode hosts AJ and Trevor ask their guest (and I’m paraphrasing), whether they “chose the artistic career they’ve found themselves in, or if they think IT chose...
Finding "True Love"
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at: aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;) ______________________________________ Warning: You are about to embark on something really sappy, but since Valentine’s Day was this week, I thought it’d be appropriate for me to talk about LOVE. More specifically, I’m going to tell you about finding the amazing person I decided...
18 tags
Yes, I Was a Choir Geek. aka) Why "The Voice" is...
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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I’ve been choir geek forever. I started singing in a group at my church when I was 5 years old. I then joined a children’s chorus when I was 8, sang in every choir I could in high school, and then majored in “jazz voice” in college. I...
18 tags
Eat My Brains.
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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I love zombies.
I say this with no embarrassment. I freaking love zombies.
Now, I have to let you all know that this is definitely not going to be the most intelligent or interesting blog post I’ve ever written, but damn it’s going to be full of...
January 2012
5 posts
23 tags
WonderCon Here We Come!
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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Not gonna lie. I’m pretty freaking excited! But disclaimer….I’m taking off my nerd glasses for this post and putting on my geek cape!
I was on a panel at the Comikaze Expo this past fall with a bunch of awesome geeky girls and we just...
18 tags
What's the Skinny?
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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I’ve talked specifically about the sexualization of women in the media before, but a bunch of conversations I was having this week inspired me to talk about beauty and Hollywood.
Just like my previous post , I realize that this entry is somewhat ironic. While...
9 tags
Back to "Going Up the Down Escalator"
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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Oh man, I have “vacation head.” My husband Barry and I just got home from our first vacation in 5 1/2 years and holy nuts is it hard to get off of island time and back to “real life.”
\
My brain seems to move slower and my limbs...
My Dirty Online Secret.
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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So…I have a confession to make. It’s about my dirty little online secret and I’m no longer ashamed to admit it.
Yes, four days ago I posted this to my facebook timeline:
At the time I totally meant it and had every intention of...
December 2011
7 posts
15 tags
I've Been Brainwashed!
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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Ok, so what’s the deal with Mr. Brainwash? Why am I obsessed? Why did he sign my shoulder? And why did I get his signature tattooed on my body?
Okay, FAKE OUT! So I didn’t actually get his signature tattooed on my shoulder, that would be...
Growing Up and Going Home.
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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I’m sitting in YVR waiting to catch my plane back to LAX feeling super emotional. Airports are always a cathartic place for me. To me they are a symbolic bridge showing me where I’m going vs. where I’ve been both literally and figuratively,...
30 tags
Why I Freaking Love the NOH8 Campaign
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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As you all know from my first post for Talk Nerdy To Me Lover, I am a “fan girl.” What I haven’t told you yet, is there is nothing I love more than “artivists.”
An “artivist” is someone who combines activism and...
Songs From... launches with "We Wish You A Merry...
Holy HOLIDAY CHEER Batman!!! My newest project launches today ;)
xoxox hels
songsfromseries:
Happy Holidays everyone! We’ve launched our first episode full of holiday cheer!
Please feel free to pass it along and join us on Tuesday, December 20th for “We Three Kings.”
- Brian and Helenna ;)
The Curse of the Creative
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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I am cursed.
I say this because the other day I was trying to explain to a “non-creative” person what it is like to be an artist. Whether you are a musican, a singer, a dancer, a painter, a graphic novelist, a director, writer,...
8 tags
With Pants Around My Ankles...Literally.
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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Well, this week one of the most embarrassing things EVER happened to me.
Most people would be utterly mortified by it, but of course being an actress, all I can think about now is how I can use the experience as fuel for a role, character, or...
November 2011
5 posts
26 tags
Sex Pots, Strippers, and Lady Parts...Oh My!
Written for my weekly Friday blog post at:
aka) I’m the resident “artsy farsty nerd” ;)
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Insert can of worms being opened… and a big can of worms it is, so get ready for a good, long, meaty read…(yes all sexual innuendo intended).
I am an actress. Recently I’ve been really disturbed by the huge number of roles needing...
9 tags
How "Harold and Kumar" Changed My Life. ...
It’s no secret I am a “fan girl.” Perhaps too much at times. When I find something I love I kind of freak out about it and want everyone I know to experience its awesomeness. Whether it be a new food, a song, a great website, clothing, place, director, writer, film….you name it…if I love it, I’ll probably rave about it to the point of exhaustion, just...
1 tag
October 2011
10 posts
maggitarwv:
“Last year, we created enough food to feed 11 billion people. And yet, of the 7 billion people we have, a billion of them struggle with hunger. So what is up with that? Well, about half of that food was fed to cows, chickens, and pigs. So…that’s a problem.”
-Hank Green (“7,000,000,000 People”)
August 2011
1 post
The Grateful 365
For the next 365 days you can also follow me here: http://helsthanks.tumblr.com
This is the first post from my 2nd blog telling you why:
xooxooxxo Hels
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I am embarking on a journey.
Monday, August 8th is my birthday, and for an entire year I’ll be posting what I am grateful for each day.
A lot of people have done this type of blog and I’m inspired. So like ...
July 2011
5 posts
hangin' in the "www"
I’ve been dabbling in new media since the fall of 2008. Sometimes with one finger on the keyboard, and other times with status updates and YouTube links flying off of the screen.
Most of the web community is headed down to Comic-Con as I type this, and I thought in the spirit of celebrating innovation and the joy of the web world, I would give props to all of the awesome people who are...
Namaste.
This is the studio that has brought me back to my yoga practice which I had been grossly neglecting <3 Thank you little garden room. <3
I'm a rebel.
Planking for Peace.
I’ve been “planking.”
In fact, I recently planked in front of my trailer while working on American Reunion.
What-ing? Yes, “planking.” The majority of people have heard of planking but many still have no idea what it is.
Technically,“The lying down game (also known as planking,[1] or face downs) is an activity, popular in various parts of the world,...