First page of the jonathan archive.

oh, man.

Posted by jessica on Jun 25, 2010 with 4 Comments
in Funny Stuff, Performance, Thoughts and Feelings
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One time I overheard my mom trying to use that old expression, “running around like a chicken with its head cut off.”
And I know. It’s not the most poetic of our American idioms.
But my mom failed to mention the chicken, and so she simply told someone that she was “running around with HER head cut off.”

Which she wasn’t, thankfully.
And considering the fact that she never did marry King Henry VIII, that’s probably not gonna happen anytime soon.

But the thing is, I’ve been feeling like that chicken lately. The one with its head cut off, I mean.

And it’s funny how when it rains, it seems to pour.

( Yes, let’s see just how many cliches I can fit in this one post!).

Because I, along with my brother Jonathan, have been busy putting a musical–The Story of Esther–on its feet, and well, it’s the day of the show, y’all (which sadly, is NOT a cliche, but it is a quote from Waiting for Guffman so should count for something, right?)! But all this to say that this week has been tech week.

No problem.
Except that this week is also when a casting company has decided they want to see me.
Every day since Wednesday.
Now both are awesome–Esther and getting seen by this casting company–but together?

Let’s see what kind of fancy footwork can be done to make it work (as Tim Gunn would say!).

So wednesday I drove to NYC and drove back for rehearsal. Then I recorded with Shane. And “recording with Shane” meant that I plopped down on a pillow and fell asleep while Shane and Pat worked hard.

When I asked Shane if I could hear the tracks later he asked me if I knew the story of the Little Red Hen. He was teasing, but still. Good point.

Thursday I drove back to the city, danced to the point where I could have maybe thrown up, had I been the kind that does that, which I don’t, and then drove back to Delaware. I stopped to sing three songs with Shane at a concert and then made it to help run a cue to cue tech rehearsal into a dress rehearsal.

And then today.
I HAVE to be back by seven. I accompany this show and nobody else even knows the music remotely. So I got myself a real nice little Amtrak ticket and man, does it feel luxurious to be all relaxed and not having to pay attention or worry that I’ll get stuck in traffic or even sit up cause, girl! you’re driving! that ain’t no joke!

Instead, I’m all relaxed on the train. And I’m On my way back from NYC and it takes not even an hour and a half to get there, compliments of the speedy Acela Express.

And I’ll make the show tonight.
And tomorrow I don’t have to get up and go to NYC, which sort of feels like a day off, by this point.

So yes, this chicken has found her head once again.

beach. sister. cards: these are a few of my favorite things.

Posted by jessica on Apr 8, 2010 with 24 Comments
in Loved Ones, Thoughts and Feelings, photography
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I like cards a lot.

Especially ones that are perfectly square, not necessarily rectangular. Though, I would never turn a rectangular card away. But there’s just something about the symmetry of a square that makes me happy.

And then when you add some good words on top of a square card?

Well, it’s real, REAL nice.

Like this one.


I saw it today and I had to read it again and again. And then, well, I already believed it, I think, but I started to believe it a little more.

And something else I like are photo shoots with my sister.

Her name is Jenna Veronica but at some point, my brother Jonathan and I gave her the nickname of Jarna Vern and it got enough of a reaction that it stuck. I guess after years of still being called that, Jenna has finally stopped fighting it and now she just goes with it.

And look at her with her yellow sun glasses.

In case you were wondering, I approve. Very much so.

And I think Jenna was maybe my biggest fan during A Chorus Line. Because that crazy girl saw the show at least five times. If that’s not love, I’m not sure what is.

And today we, along with some other members of our fantastic family, went to the beach.

And it was warm in the car and even on the boardwalk.

But not so much on the actual beach.

So we mostly lay like this,

talking about how it’d be nice if the wind would dial it down a bit.

And then we laughed, because how annoying to tell the wind to dial it down?

And we did a good job of pretending that we were warm enough.


But there’s a difference between being truly warm and being warm enough.

If you’d like to know the difference, just go on down to the Delaware beaches in the beginning of April.

But try to go with a few people you love, it’s better that way.


And try not to bite them.

But if you absolutely have to–and I understand if you do–try to bite in such a way that it doesn’t actually hurt.

my brother and his banana. seriously.

Posted by jessica on Apr 5, 2010 with 31 Comments
in Funny Stuff, Loved Ones
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Oh man, where to start? So I saw a movie tonight, in the theater. It was me and some really cool guys. I actually crashed a guys’ night out I’m pretty sure, but I think my brother Jonathan feels sorry for me an awful lot, so I got an invite too. Anyway, we saw Clash [...]

the fresh start room.

Posted by jessica on Mar 12, 2010 with 16 Comments
in I Lift My Eyes Up, Thoughts and Feelings
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So my brother Jonathan has a new blog up and running. I just read his post about a first that he recently experienced. And um, it’s one heck of a first, I’ve got to say. Which reminds me of today. As if I really need a reminder. As if the email I got from outofyourlife.com [...]

and it’s the future who gets to know life’s secrets, I guess.

Posted by jessica on Feb 25, 2010 with 10 Comments
in Thoughts and Feelings
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You know, I’ve heard, If you weren’t married…But then the thought stopped there because, well, I was married and quite frankly wasn’t into exploring the whole arena of if anyway. But now it’s not if. Whoa. It’s. Not. If. And it kind of terrifies me, I guess. See, I liked the certainty of marriage. Took [...]

firsts: thestrals and snow shoveling.

Posted by jessica on Feb 8, 2010 with 30 Comments
in I Lift My Eyes Up, Loved Ones, Thoughts and Feelings, photography
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And here’s the part when I tell you that I shoveled snow for the very first time in my life this weekend and you gasp. And then you tell me that it’s about time I took off my kid gloves and replaced them with a pair of gortex gloves. Oh, and a shovel. But see–and [...]

effing.

Posted by jessica on Feb 5, 2010 with 28 Comments
in Funny Stuff, Thoughts and Feelings
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Even tattoos aren’t permanent, you know. People always warn you about getting that gnome on the inside of your wrist; that maybe you won’t want to be holding your grandchild someday and reminded of the night you took those awful shots and then thought it was a good idea to get inked. And that somehow [...]

the thing itself

Posted by jessica on Nov 3, 2009 with No Comments
in I Lift My Eyes Up, Loved Ones, Thoughts and Feelings
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Lately sleep has been somewhat of a white rabbit for me. And I’m tired of chasing it. Heck, I’m even tired of laying down in a bed, waiting for that stupid little rabbit to stop it’s incessant running. Bottom line, I’m just plain tired. It seems that I am no better at fighting off the [...]

happy birthday, jonathan

Posted by jessica on Sep 15, 2009 with No Comments
in Funny Stuff, Loved Ones, Thoughts and Feelings
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My mom always called us her twins, even though we aren’t. But still, we are the closest in age out of the family, were always close to the same height growing up, and have the same brown eyes, though his are darker like our Italian mom’s while mine are more like our pop’s British side [...]

humor me as I share about my nephew and my cats. Oh, and a skin disorder. not mine.

Posted by jessica on Aug 4, 2009 with No Comments
in Funny Stuff, Loved Ones, photography
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My three-year-old nephew Judah recently tried to order some chicken hands at a restaurant. It took some time before people realized that what he wanted was actually chicken fingers and if you think about it, that’s really no stranger than chicken hands. Considering chickens have neither hands nor fingers. As requested, here is our poor [...]