I Does Stuff

Many of you are probably wondering what I do to pass my time in Ireland. More realistically, the five of you that read this blog already know how I spend my time here in Galway so you are wonder-less (Yet, still wonderFUL).

BUT, on the off-chance that there is a new reader out there, I shall tell you anyway!

1. I sleep...a lot...too much.
2. I watch movies online. Illegally. Television shows too. Although, less illegally.
3. I cook! (Something I rarely do in the States)
4. I read books and write in my scrapbook and do things that involve reading and/or writing. (Like this blog, for instance!)
5. I help my loving, darling man with his work--as he is swamped and nearing the end of his MFA degree. I think I deserve "best woman evah" award for this, but I settle for him buying me cider.

So, #5 leads me to how I spent the day today! Mark is currently exploring new ways to dispense his poetry to the masses. He currently has two blogs on which he posts his poetry and also some fun videos (like the one in my last post). He also is exploring ways non-interweb to get his work out there. This is where I come in. I am assisting in creating tools for mass communication!!! (Going on my resume? Probably.)

Today I made posters for Mark's upcoming busking adventures. Here they are:

AND

And yes, I'm aware I'm killer at block-lettering.

I also created stencils so that when Mark and I graffiti (if anyone asks, you know nothing) in bathroom stalls and elsewhere, he can have a logo of sorts. I feel pretty awesome about how this turned out, considering it's the first stencil I've ever made.

Stencil:

Product:

Proof:

I started making more stencils but quickly realized I need a better Exact-O knife (or, more accurately, AN Exact-O knife since Mark's Swiss Army knife isn't the best tool for the job).

I'm happy that I've started doing something creative and productive and I hope that this stenciling business will lead to more intricate designs, and perhaps a more serious career in "public" art. 

Again, your lips better be sealed.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

When I'm exhausted/sad/frustrated/angry/depressed/lethargic/lonely/etc., I find that there are certain things that instantly cheer me up. Here is a sampling of a few of those things...

Jimmy Fallon

(I know for a fact I've mentioned my obsession with this man and his sense of humor before, so I won't bore you again with the details.)

Avett Brothers
(Also pretty sure I've mentioned these studly men and their musical stylings before.)

This is a non-album version of my FAVORITE Avett Brothers song "Weight of Lies". The video is great and their voices are wonderful.

Hugh Laurie (as Gregory House, and not)
(Turns out I talk about the things/people I love quite a bit. Whatever. It makes me happy and I deserve to be happy.)



I also Craig Ferguson too. It's what the kids would call a "double whammy."

 
In my quest to find the proper Hugh Laurie video to show, I came across these gems. You should watch them. In this video, he says the word "Ba-Donka-Donk" is fantastic. And the promo for this week's episode. (No joke, a Mia Michaels-choreographed musical number in House. I may just die.) 


And last, but not least, Mark Jay Brewin Jr!

This a video Mark made for his new media course. In it, he speaks one of his poems over video and sound footage that he captured at the specific site of which he speaks. Pretty great stuff if you ask me. In this video, in particular, he also showcase my favorite stray dog of all time (who also happens to make me happy when skies are gray).

And to end on the highest note I can think of...Take a look at this face:

I don't know about you, but I feel like a million bucks!

Christy Mathewson Day!

Hi. My name is Jessica. I have two friends.

Well, I have more than two friends (I think), but I have two specifically that I am going to talk about today. Their names are Kevin and Danielle. If you were in the UK, you'd probably say "They're called Kevin and Danielle." Interesting tidbit regarding cultural and language differences, no?

Anyhoo, Kevin and Danielle are fantastic humans and they made a film--a documentary to be exact. The documentary is on Christy Mathewson. Christy Mathewson is not a personal friend of mine, but he seems like a fine fella. We would be friends if it weren't for the fact that he died in 1925. So how do I know about him? And, more importantly, why did my real life friends Kevin and Danielle make a movie about him? WELL, because he is a big deal, even to this day! His legacy lives on in the small town of Factoryville, PA. That is where Kevin and Danielle filmed their documentary. It's a fantastic film, with a stellar trailer to boot! Don't believe me? Here...watch:



So, why should you care about me, my friends, their documentary and or Christy Mathewson? The same reason you care about anything else in life: incentives.

You see, Kevin and Danielle need a teensy bit more money to complete the soundtrack/score to their wonderful film. That's where you come in! They have started a Kickstarter website to raise the last of their funds. Go there! NOW!

As you will see on the right-hand side of the web page, there are options with various monetary amounts to donate and the fun prizes that go along with such a donation! However, Mark and I have added some additional incentives on our own! Mark first wrote about his add-ons on his blog, but I am going to copy them and add mine here (mine will be in BOLD and yellow so there is no confusion).

Are you ready? I sure as heckfire am!

The incentives are as follows:

$5 or above – A special thank you shout out on the Christy Mathewson Day Facebook webpage (And I shall write you a small ode on my Facebook wall.)

$10 or above – A special thank you Facebook shout out + a Christy Mathewson Day magnet + digital download of the hand illustrated essay “Tuberculosis and The Dead-Ball Era, or, The Only Things I have in Common with Christy Mathewson” by Matt Spainhour

$20 or above – A shout out on my blogs/Facebook page–I know, I am kind of broke… (as well as a Facebook shout out on the Christy Mathewson Day page, digital download of the hand-illustrated essay + a handwritten thank you letter from Kevin & Danielle sent directly to your home address!)

$50 or above – A Garageband ukulele recording of a song of your choosing as long as I can figure out the chords for it (as well as a shout out, digital download, personal letter from Kevin & Danielle + your name in the funder credits at the end of the film!) PLUS, a one-of-a-kind button with a design of your choosing. And perhaps a Christy Mathewson day button thrown in there for marketing's sake.

$100 or above – A poem dedicated to you (as well as a shout out, digital download, personal letter from Kevin & Danielle, your name in the funder credits at the end of the film + a signed Christy Mathewson Day poster!) I shall write a song, complete with Mark's musical accompaniment, that is dedicated to you and your greatness. I will even record it so you can listen to it on those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.

$500 or above – A signed copy of Mark Jay Brewin Jr’s first book manuscript and a bottle of Irish Whisky (as well as an Executive Producer title for the film offered by Kevin & Danielle + a personal Backyard/Living Room concert from Matt Spainhour–this offer is limited to specific states, please see KickStarter site for details…) 7 minutes in heaven. I'm sure this is bordering on adultery and prostitution but it's a risk I'm willing to take for my dear friends Kevin and Danielle in the efforts to see this film fully completed!

Alright, so now that you're all informed, be motivated! Go! Now! To this website! Even if you only have $5 to spare, it will help out tremendously! Have I ever told you you're a gem? Well, if I haven't, rest assured that you are!

Sick Day

Things I Love: Sick Sunday Edition

Because I am battling quite a nasty sore throat at the moment, I don't really feel like talking. I do realize that I'm not really talking on here, which would almost make this the perfect medium for my predicament. However, I generally say out loud everything I type. Ergo, this post will be mostly links, pictures and video. Enjoy!

#1: Ok Go. Particularly their self-titled debut album. And their use of hand bells during concernts. And Damian Kulash. Mmmm. (Sidenote: Just found out he's 35. He is smoking hot for someone 11 years my senior.)

#2: Russell Brand. This man could probably say the worst joke in the world but I'd laugh because there is something about his accent, his delivery, his palpable energy, and--of course--his tight pants.



#3: Chicken Parmesan. I am making it for dinner as soon as I finish this post. Mmmm.

#4: Mark Jay. Also known as "Baby". It is our 4 year anniversary today (yay for both of us being ill on the occasion!) so it seems appropriate that he be featured on this edition of Things I Love. And although Ok Go, Russell Brand and Chicken Parmesan are stiff competition, I am positive that he is what I love most.

Our most recent picture together. Taken February 9, 2011 at Giuseppe's Ristorante near London Bridge.

This concludes this Sunday's edition of Things I Love. Be sure to tune in next time when I feature cold medicine, cough drops, codeine and Vitamin C!

Chronicles of the Whiteboard

If you still weren't sure of my anal-retentiveness, or Mark's adorableness, I present Exhibit B.

Can't wait to get to RI on Monday, or for my next smooch.

In other news, The Passage update forthcoming. I am having a visitor tonight (Yay for Jordan in Illinois!) so expect it tomorrow! Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

MIA

As of 7:30am tomorrow morning, Mark and I will be on our way, via train, to CHICAGO!!!

That means that for the next couple of days you will have to do without my witty and completely unnecessary blog-posting.

It may seem impossible now, but you will make do.

Uf.

So I have been MIA for a couple days and for good reason. Mark's parents, good ole Mark Sr and Dawn, came to visit us here in Illinois! They arrived on Thursday and since then we have been quite busy (no complaints here).

Thursday we went to a pretty good BBQ place in Murphysboro, IL, 17th Street. Due to their exhaustion from the drive, it was a pretty early night (although I did sneak in one karaoke song at a bar called Key West).

Friday, I had the joy of working and Mark the joy of schooling so the Brewins were on their own. They came to visit me for Thai food and loved it so that was good. There was one thing that we all felt we must do while the Brewin elders were in town and, believe it or not, that one thing was to see Jackass 3D. Yep. Awesome. So when I got done with work, that's just what we did. It was everything we hoped it would be and more. Afterward, we had a great dinner at Quatro's (deep-dish pizza) and lots of Coors light at the local favorite, the Cellar. Note to self: always go to places with Buzztime trivia consoles, because the Brewins love it as much as I do. Also, Kings is much more fun with people that have never played it.

Finally, Saturday was the most fun day of all. Why? Because it was spent on Southern Illinois' wine trail. We began at Pomona, which is the one and only apple winery (also, kind of my favorite). Here we are on the deck after our first glass...

After our visit at Pomona, we headed to Mark's favorite: Hickory Ridge. It does, by far, have the best vibe and view so it was great to go there next, and for our lovely lunch/snack time.

I also love Hickory Ridge because it has doggies roaming around at all times. Here is my favorite pup, Bud D...

After splitting a bottle with Miz Dawn, and the Marks having their bottle, we decided to pack up shop and head to the next stop on the trail: Von Jakob Vineyard.

I had only been to these places once before and last time Mark and I traveled the trail we ended the day at Von Jakob. It was lackluster--mostly because I was pretty tipsy by that point and It was the end of the day there so there wasn't much going on besides people closing up. THIS TIME was a whole other story. There was a live band and TONS of people. The highlights for me were definitely watching one particular older man dancing up a storm and dancing to "Stand by Me" with Mark. The man can move...

 Note: The lovely Janelle, MSY, and Brenna (not pictured) are three of Mark's fellow grad students

and they were enjoying the wine trail alongside us (but not "with" us) all day long. It definitely

added to the fun.

After having yet another bottle of wine with Mrs. Brewin, we were ready for dinner. Mark had raved about Hedman's food and, though I was skeptical of Swedish cuisine, he was more than right. Hedman Winery was another winery that I got a weird vibe from the first time I did the trail. This time, I was blown away by the scenery and the outdoor, beer-hall-esque dining area. I also would have never expected the meal I got but it was one of the best I've ever had. Since we were all feeling good (yeah wine) by this point, the camera was not utilized, so here is a generic picture of Hedman:

So yeah, I'm re-exhausted just writing all that out, but it was surely worth the exhaustion. Good times were had by all and it was fantastic to see Mark's folks. I couldn't have asked for a better early birthday present. 

NB: There may be readers out there (though I'm doubtful) that don't realize my birthday is

this upcoming Tuesday. Warning: You'll be hearing a lot more about it. A sad, sickening amount. 

Nothing...

I've racked my brain for the last 30 minutes, trying to think of a worthy post topic. I've got nothing of great import or substance. So here has what has crossed my mind in the last 30 minutes (in no particular order):

1. Man, I just at too much Kee Mao (Spicy Crazy noodle). Oh the perks and downfalls of working at a Thai restaurant.

2. Man, I love Mark. What girl has a guy that always kisses her as he passes by and always asks if I need anything before heading somewhere to get something for himself? That would be me. (Let's just say...I love him like Cro-Magnon Jess loved Cro-Magnon Mark.)

3. Man, red wine is pretty amazing. (So is another substance that I came in contact with earlier today...but it's not blog-appropriate.)

4. Man, House is good. I've said it a million times and I'll say it a million more. House is one of the best shows on television and perhaps ever has been on television.

5. Man, coming up with blog post subjects is hard! I even went back to my old LiveJournal, which I am promptly deleting, to try to do a now-and-then post. I just found out that I had nothing to say between 2002-2006 that wasn't complaining or boy-related.

My LiveJournal screenname was HappyPhantom. I googled Happy Phantom. This was on the of the images that came up. Given my proclivity to talk about boys, heartbreak, my issues and all my woe within that journal, this picture seemed fitting.

6. Man, nothing has changed.

Short and (Bitter) Sweet

I worked a double today. I am exhausted. Therefore, I can only muster a small post.

Mark reminded me of this beautiful commercial tonight while we sat talking about the fate of the world. While I'm not necessarily in support of using a sensitive, touching, heartbreaking issue to further commercial/capitalist gain, the brilliance of this commercial cannot be denied.

Enjoy (and weep). I sure as heck did.

 

Also, remind me to talk about the walruses. The walruses must be addressed.

Another Day, Another Blog...

Welcome to Jellyfish Love! A blog with a ridiculous title, and an equally ridiculous author.

First and Foremost, I must give credit where credit is due. The title of this blog derives from a fabulous short story written by a friend, Shawn Mitchell. I first heard him read this story in a wonderful wine shop, Top Ten Wines, in Columbia, MO (Yes, MO is Missouri...weird, I know). I became mildly obsessed with this one phrase and idea that reoccurred in his story: love...jellyfish love. And, as they say, the rest is history!

So, this blog will be devoted to anything and everything that I happen to love. I have tried and failed to have "themed" blogs before (i.e. one for art stuff, one for the silly tunes I wake up singing, etc.). I now feel that the only way I can keep up with this blogging business is if I don't limit myself so much. If I were you, I'd anticipate a lot of posts about television shows, books, artworks/artists/shows, Mark (my loverly man), friends, food/drink, travel, and various web creations that I find enthralling. These are all the things that usually fill my everyday existence, and, thus, this blog.


Hope you enjoy!