An Ode To Point Five

My best friend, Jennifer, is .5. And you have to pronounce it 'point five.' Of course it comes with a story. See, when she and I were younger, about 19 or 20, my dad nicknamed us the Dream Team because we stayed up so late and slept so much. Sure, we wasted some time napping, but we had terrific amounts of fun along the way. She and I took it a step further and started calling each other Point Five. See, two point fives equal a whole. That's how much we meant, and still mean, to each other.

Jennifer came into my life when I was 16. I was a much different girl pre-Jen. She and I became so close so quickly because we couldn't have needed each other more. We instantly realized that we were so similar, yet so different. High school is a funny thing. See, I thought it was for the most part, a tremendous waste of time. With a handful of exceptions, I took nothing with me after I was handed my diploma. And those few things were not academic. They were friendships. I didn't really learn anything new. That's what college was for. I think any place, other than prison, that requires you to ask permission to use the restroom is ludicrous. Even in most prison cells, the inmates have their own restrooms. Anyway, I digress. I'll talk about the time suck that is Lafayette, Louisiana's public high school system another time. Sorry, Ovey Comeaux. It's true.

Anyway, Jennifer is a tremendously talented individual. Whether it be painting, make-up artistry, music or writing, she's an incredible human being. And more recently, she has also taken on the role of mother to a beautiful 18-month old boy. She is an amazing woman who I admire each day. She has certainly not had an easy path, but she has managed as gracefully as ever. I look up to her, I laugh with her, I love her. She is family to me. And the best part? I got to choose her. That's what's so neat about friends.

Check out her late father's awe-inspiring art work here. I think you'll quickly notice that the multi-talented apple does not fall far from the multi-talented tree.

Kick Out The Jams

And believe me, Pearl Jam kicked out the jams like I couldn't have even imagined. It was a pretty magical show. Yes, it ended early. Yes, the crowd was huge. Yes, I had an amazing spot that I camped out in for about seven hours while patiently waiting for them to hit the stage. Yes, I missed several other acts that I wanted to see. Yes, it was worth every minute.

It's been busy since I got back from my triumphant return to the Crescent City. I only unpacked our suitcase last night, in fact. I had to get back to work on Tuesday, and spent the majority of my day saving a blind puppy's life. Long story, so I'll hit the high points. A co-worker of mine studded out his yellow lab and one of the pups has been deemed blind. Well, the pup's "grandmother" decided he would have no quality of life, and toted him to the veterinarian to have him euthanized. I got wind of this and took it upon myself to halt the lethal injection and get him set up with a suitable home. It took a while, I had to make lots of phone calls, send tons of e-mails, but it finally worked. I found a terrific home for him and I'll even have the opportunity to meet the little fellow tomorrow morning. What sweet relief! I was determined to find someone who could adequately care for this special needs dog, and that person showed themselves, right as his clock was about to strike midnight. I wept with emotional exhaustion and happiness when I received word that he would receive a forever home. It feels incredible to do what's right in this otherwise bleak and evil place in which we live.

When I got home from work yesterday evening, I held my baby dog Emma so tight, I think she began to think I was crazy. I wonder if she will ever know just how much her mommy loves her.