Thursday, February 26, 2004

Well, except for the “Random Notes” section, I think I’m done with my redesign and re-organization of my website. I’ve redone every page, and though there are a couple of minor bugs left to fix, I think I’m mostly done.

Next I’m going to finish my first batch of essays for the “Random Notes” section, so I can get that up, and then I’m going to redesign all the merchandise.

No, I don’t have too much time on my hands, or anything.

Ladies, wanna help out and keep me occupied? No? Well, it was worth a shot.

Remember, when life hands you a lemon, that’s your chance to find your arch nemesis and squirt some citrus juice in his (or her) eyes. Always good for the soul.

Jess

P.S. Now I can start writing in my blog about non-work and non-website related topics again. Yay me!

Monday, February 23, 2004

Well, the updates are happening. Pics are done (new ones will come soon), and most of the pages are updated and streamlined. Still working on “Random Notes,” “CDs,” and “Info.” But those will be done soon.

Come back often, check it out, and be sure to sign in the guestbook and guestmap!

Jess

Saturday, February 21, 2004

Okay, so I lied about the daily updates. Sorry.

I just got back from New Orleans a few days ago. Awesome. I’ll be writing more about that soon.

I just took over website management from my good friend Herbert Midgley. Although he’s far better at it than I, I just like to tinker with things continually. And it’s not fair to expect him to do that.

So, I’m learning how to create and maintain a website. Never really done it before. It’s very time-consuming, I’m finding out.

So, over the next week or so, things will keep changing, and there will probably be a lot of links that don’t work at first. Keep coming back, and it will all be fixed soon.

Jess

Tuesday, February 10, 2004

It’s raining right now, and this is the time I love having a tin roof. There are very few things in life I find more relaxing than the sound of rain on a tin roof.

Well, everything seems to be working out at Pat O’Brien’s. I didn’t blow them away on my opening weekend, but I didn’t embarass myself, either. They’re flying me out to New Orleans this weekend, and I am so incredibly excited. I’ve always wanted to go, and not only am I going, but I’m playing on Bourbon Street! And I’m getting paid to do this!

I wish that I was going with at least one friend, though. It won’t be quite as much fun by myself. But I’m hoping that if things work out as well as I think they could, that I can make another trip somewhere down the road.

I’ve lost another friend to Windows XP. Just when I was finally starting to convince all my friends of the innate superiority of Apple Computers, Windows came out with their first stable operating system since DOS (which I still think was a fabulous program). I still think Apple Computers are better (though I’ll be the first to admit they’re a lot more expensive), but without all the bugs of Windows to point out, it’s going to be harder to preach the Gospel according to Macintosh.

I’d sworn off dating strippers, since my last experience with one was so disastrous and painful. But now I’m remembering why I started in the first place; when you work at night, it’s really, really hard to find someone with a compatible schedule. And strippers keep pretty much the same hours as I do. Of course, they all have kids, and that can be tough. And right now, I’m too poor to be dating anybody, and dating strippers is expensive. But still, the prospect is starting to look enticing once again.

I want to build a castle. No, make that a Castle, with a capital “C.” And I want to build it on the top of a hill in the Hill Country of Texas, close enough to Austin and San Antonio that I can still gig there. Most people want their own house, but I want a castle. With secret passageways, and possibly an underground lake (a pond would probably do) where I could play “Phantom of the Opera.” Not that there would be that much opera going on. No moats, though. They stink. And if my castle ever becomes haunted, then I can call in the Scooby-Doo gang to reveal that it’s just Old Man Withers scaring everybody. More on this at a later date.

Well, I’m going back to practicing now. Talk to you all soon,

Jess

Friday, February 06, 2004

Okay, sorry about the long absence in my blog. Here’s the basics.

I got fired from “Howl at the Moon.” First time I’ve ever been fired.

A month ago, I was working my ass of, and I felt I was doing quite well. In fact, I was a little overworked. But the compliments kept rolling in from customers, and the tips were coming in real well, and I was on top of the world.

Well, the new entertainment manager of “Howl” decided that I have no talent. He’s been giving me advice that made no sense anyway, but I followed it because he was the boss. In a situation like that, I smile and nod, and do what the man says; after all, the paychecks come through him. Truth is, he’s a lousy musician that thinks he’s a bad-ass. And on trumpet, he is. But as a singer and vocalist? Not so much.

But all is not lost; I’m on track (though nothing’s set in stone) to start at “Pat O’Brien’s” in a couple of weeks. It’s another piano bar, in fact, part of a much more well known and illustrious chain, based out of New Orleans. The gig is very different, and I’m a little nervous, but I’m also looking forward to it. And from what I hear, they are much more loyal. And that’s something I highly desire.

That’s been the focus of my life for the last few weeks, and I didn’t want to say anything until the smoke cleared.

But for all you faithful readers, the Jester Journals are back online. Expect daily updates!

Jess