FREDA Girl: Lulu Brud
Please tell us who you are and what you do? My name is Lulu Brud and I’m an actor, creative and a new mom.
Describe your personal style. Do you have a certain look that is your go-to? How has your go-to changed while shifting to a work from home culture? I feel like in the last year or so, my personal style has really become pajamas I can wear in public, so in a way, I feel like nothing has changed for me on that front, except for the going out in public part. HA! But seriously, I would say my go-to look rotates between jumpsuits, dresses, elevated loungewear and vintage jeans and tees. I love comfortable pieces that can be layered and dressed up with a nice shoe, a pair of earrings or a piece from my trusty hat collection.
What are you reading right now? I’m obsessed with my kindle and renting digital loans from the library so, often it feels like I’m bouncing in between several books because I never know when they’re going to become available or have to be sent back to the library. I’m currently rotating between “Daisy Jones & The Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, “wow, no thank you.” by Samantha Irby and “The Water Dancer” by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
What are you listening to right now? I love podcasts, so they’ve been keeping me company these days. These are the podcasts I’ve generally got on heavy rotation: The Daily, Armchair Expert, Ghost of a Podcast, On Being with Krista Tippett, My Favorite Murder, Expanded with Lacy Phillips and Tara Brach.
How are you structuring your days during this period of self-isolation? Are you sticking to a schedule? I’m trying to do my best to have a little structure to the day because I find that it really helps me to feel grounded and not just floating endlessly out in the self-isolation ethers. I do have a six-month-old so there are inherently built-in things for him that provide structure to the day--like his naps, feedings, bathtime, and bedtime. Most of my day is built around that. My husband and I are trying a thing where he takes Wilder solo from 9-11:30 and I take him solo from 12:30-3 and it allows each of us a moment to breathe, workout, shower and get back to emails and some semblance of work.
Where do you find inspiration and how do you stay inspired? Has that changed at all since you have been home? I’m realizing through this experience that so much of my inspiration comes from being out in the world and interacting with people. So obviously, that outlet is quiet for the time being. I do however get a good dose of my inspiration from nature, and fortunately, I’m quarantining at our home out in the desert, so there’s a lot of space and air and sky and room for me to be outside and still be super distant from anyone else that may be outside as well.
Do you have a silver lining that is getting you through these unprecedented times? I think for me the silver lining of this whole experience has been the gift of presence with my son. I feel like I blinked and somehow he turned 6 months old. Because I’m not trying to do 100 things at the same time anymore or making plans for the next week or taking meetings or going on auditions, I find that my days are very ripe with focusing on him. I think the other thing that has been bringing my mind peace is knowing that the earth is getting a moment to breathe along with us. That we are all on this forced time-out together, and much like the earth, I think I needed it too.
Has anything surprised you about yourself since life has slowed down so much? I have found so much solace in knowing that I’m not alone--that the stresses of finances and life and all of the question marks that are swirling around right now, are not just solely mine to carry; that we are all in this boat together just trying to figure out how to get back to shore.
