The Number of the Beast

Okay so, I saw Iron Maiden last week, and of course they were spectacular. In fact, it took nearly 48 hours for my face to return. Why? Well it was rocked off, obviously. And my pal Donny G. was able to come on down to the show, which made it even better. In addition, my dad was there and Mr. M. was finally able to see what all the fuss is about. Believe me - the fuss is SO warranted.

Oh, and we were super close to the stage. That didn't hurt anything. Steve Harris was right in front of me for a good portion of the show. It was awesome. We got sweated on by Bruce. That was both awesome and gross. Mostly gross, though.

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.

Where's My Oscar?

I've been wandering around for the last 24 hours performing some Academy Award-winning dramatic monologues. They are mostly about how the weather at Jazz Fest on Saturday will be and how flip flops are just such a horrible idea, but sneakers will likely be uncomfortable and even how I just don't know what to do. Then I sigh and flail about, mostly throwing myself on the couch in despair. The Fantastic Mr. M. just smiles at me, then says in the calmest tone you've ever heard, "Jess, it's going to be fine." I subsequently roll my eyes and tell him, "You ALWAYS say that." And it's true. He always tells me that things like this will be fine. Here's the kicker: they always are. I have a flair for the dramatic. I do, and I think it's the Sicilian in me. We're almost always loud, and we're always a little dramatic. Okay, a lot.

The point of this story is that I'm anxious. I'm nervous. See, I'm finally going to see what all the fuss is about. And by fuss, I mean Pearl Jam. I've been a fan for over half of my lifetime, but have never seen them live. And I've seen a lot of shows. In fact, I've crossed every band I want to see off of my list with one exception - Pearl Jam. See, if you don't know about the true Pearl Jam fans, let me shed a little light for you. It's a cult-like following that is terribly difficult to explain. Once people realize that I'm a fan of Pearl Jam even after their first three albums, they're typically befuddled. And there are even a handful that will question me about whether Pearl Jam is still together making music. In those instances, I have to swallow very hard and try to not look at them like they've sprouted a third head.

I have a hard time keeping my opinion to myself, and that characteristic is heightened ten fold when it comes to music. I can't understand why people don't see things the same way I do, but I suppose that's my challenge. In addition, it's what makes the world go 'round. Anyway, the next time someone asks you if Pearl Jam is still making music, tell them that they are in fact still making their mark. If you don't believe me, listen to this song and you will hear it. This song got me out of bed on many a dark day. I hope it finds a meaning for you as well. Enjoy.

A Heatbeat Away From Fame

That's what my dad said when I told him that the book that I edited was now on amazon.com. Everyone keeps telling me what an accomplishment it is, and while I would normally agree, the actual editing process is not what I would describe as being laborious. Perhaps that's because I enjoy it. Writing is way more difficult than actually editing. Editing is pretty formulaic. I can almost turn my brain off when it's time to edit. While that isn't entirely accurate, I think you know what I mean. I can edit for hours on end, and still feel like a million bucks. But when I write for about an hour, I'm in need of a serious nap afterward. I like to compare it to walking into a crowded room completely naked. It's exposing all of your insides for your readers. And creating words from nothing is a little tiring. But, absolutely rewarding.

The point of this blog entry? Shameless self-promotion, of course. Get thee to amazon.com and pick up a copy of my heartbeat away from fame. I hope you enjoy it.

Nature + Science = Happy Gal

Things at Newman Farms are coming along nicely. I was pretty worried for a while that my plants might bite the dust, but nature has a way of righting its wrongs. All this late cold weather hasn't helped anything, but my garden has fought and I'm beginning to see some real progress. A cucumber plant seemed to have grown by leaps and bounds almost overnight. If nothing else, I have already learned more patience. And if you know anything about me, you know that patience has never been one of my strong suits.

This weekend, my fantastic boyfriend's fantastic sister came to Houston for a visit. We had so much fun seeing all that this incredible city has to offer. I know, I know ... everyone thinks that Houston is lame. Not the case at all, my friends. It's a super cool place with neat little things around each corner. Yesterday, we went to one of my favorite places ever - the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Let's not kid, I love all things museum-y. I've spent a lot of time at HMNS, but yesterday I took in my very first IMAX film. We saw Hubble 3D, which is narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio. It has to be said that he's a much better narrator than Oprah. Yeah, I'm still pretty bitter that she somehow finagled her way into narrating Life on the Discovery Channel. Anyway, for you other science nerds out there, check out Hubble 3D as soon as you can. For now, check out the trailer.

Newman Farms: The Bounty of Bohemia

My dad came up with that tag line for my unofficial farming venture. Well, I suppose that it's a real venture, just not a company. My mom and I went to the garden center this past weekend to choose what plants I would attempt to grow. While most everything looked great, I had to choose wisely. Here's what made the cut: three tomato plants (two Celebrity tomatoes and one Sweet 100), three bell pepper plants, two English cucumbers, three strawberry plants, basil, chives and lavender. Oh, and I bought several marigolds because of their natural insect-deterring scent. I'm excited about all of them, but I'm especially excited to see how the tomatoes do. I really hope that they produce so much that by August, I'm tired of eating tomatoes.

And here's what it looks like all planted in the ground. Let's all hope that my efforts prove fruitful. Pun intended.