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.

Outside the Loop

See, my sister has been married almost one year. And she hired a fantastic videographer to document her day. He produced a quick two-minute trailer for her while he finished editing her complete video. I've seen that trailer a million times, but have yet to see the final product, right? Well, I just learned that there was a four-minute highlight reel that he did for her. I'd never seen it! If you want to see it, check it out here. After watching the highlights, I almost feel no need to watch the entire video. I guess that's the risk you take when your video tells such a compelling story.

I'm perpetually outside of the loop. Which is odd, because I live inside the loop. (Houston humor)

Anyway, hope you enjoy. It was a memorable day and Tim captured it in the most special way imaginable.

The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

Well, it's no secret that I have tickets to see Pearl Jam. However, in the last month or so, the concert calendar has filled right on up. Let me break it down for you.

In May, I'll see Band of Horses and the almighty PJ. One week later, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. This will be the third time I've seen Tom and I understand that not everyone loves him. Well, he and I have a pretty significant history. When I was two years old, my parents had this record player with ridiculously huge headphones. I used to pad my way over to the record player and put the headphones on until my dad would start the music for me. I enjoyed the usual stuff - you know Sesame Street and the like - but apparently, I used to just LOVE when my dad would play Tom Petty for me. 'The Waiting' was my favorite song in the world. At least that's what my parents have told me. So, seeing Tom Petty three times, with the best dad in the world, is a pretty cool thing. And this time, my hip little mama is even going to come along!

Early in June, I'll be checking out the two-day Summerfest here in Houston. The Flaming Lips are headlining and there is an absolute bevy of others that I'm excited to see. Namely, Ra Ra Riot. They were great the first time I saw them, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again. About one week after that...

MAIDEN. Iron Maiden, that is. Yes, I saw them in 2008 and it was magical. I will get to see them again and I could not be more excited. I didn't think that anything would ever top the first time, but this go-round I'll have the fantastic Donny G. and one Mr. M to accompany me. Oh, and there's the best guy of all - my fantastic father. One of these days, I'll tell you all about the man that is corporate Global Manager by day, and more rock and roll than you and I combined, by night. Just know this: he's so awesome, we need a new word for awesome.