Fix It!

My new favorite SNL character.

What Do You Do With a B.A. in English?

In the madness of the past month, I forgot to mention that I'm working once again.

As of January 16th, I'm the new Senior Writer on the Web Creative Team at Intuit (they make TurboTax and Quicken). My job entails writing marketing copy and support copy for the website.

Ironically, I started the gig exactly one month to the day I began my sabbatical. So far, so good! The team's phenomenal -- they're all wicked smart, passionate about their jobs, and very, very good at what they do.

Right now it's high season for us since, you know, April 15th is right around the corner. After working the better part of 10 years in corporate training (with stints in PR, pro sports, and the entertainment industry) it feels great to be writing again full-time. Nice bookending going on: my first paid job out of college was as a reporter, and here I am writing again (answering that age-old question: "What do you do with a B.A. in English?").

It's 1 a.m. Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

John and I were supposed to be going to Europe on Saturday for 12 days. It was to be grand: flying into Paris, then off to Belgium, down to Switzerland, on to Florence, then fly out of Rome.

Then his knee happened, and we canned the trip (temporarily, of course).

Cut to last night, when I got an email from the Warehouse (Dave Matthews Band fan club) saying DMB's playing Hard Rock Calling on June 28...as an opening act.

I thought, "Who the hell could they possibly be opening for?!"

Turns out it's Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band! Being a Jersey girl (and one who's never seen The Boss live sans the time my dad drove us to the parking lot at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse when we lived there in the mid '80s), it seemed like the perfect time of year to reschedule our trip for!

It's 1 a.m. PT...do you know where your children are? I just scored two tickets on Ticketmaster.com (they went on sale 9 a.m. GMT). Woo hoo!

Dave Matthews Band, Camden '05
(Tickets and backstage passes care of Boyd Tinsley)

It's Summer Time? Must Be Dave Matthews Band

Most folks who know me know I'm a fan of Dave Matthews Band. Not a super-stalky crazy fan, but a fan nonetheless. As I said to the band's manager back in '05 when he asked why I go to shows every years, I responded, "It's summer time, that means time to see Dave Matthews Band."

Here's my list of shows and who I've seen them with:


12.01.98 First Union Center (Philly)
First show, decided to go when I heard on the drive home from Penn State class that some last-minute tix had been released. Sat 2nd row stage right, level with the band.


05.20.99 Veterans Stadium (Philly)
7th row, stage right again, with Jonell at the Vet (RIP Veterans Stadium). Awesome experience, right before I left to move to San Diego, California.


07.28.00 Coors Amphitheatre (San Diego)


05.22.01 Dodgers Stadium (Los Angeles)
10th row with Amy...sat behind Olsen twins and saw many Hollywood folks there.


05.13.02 Coors Amphitheatre (San Diego)


07.26.03 Home Depot Center (Carson, Calif.)
Awesome venue, first DMB show with John. We were living in L.A. and ended up with 4th row seats. First time we heard "Loving Wings" and I knew that would be our wedding song.


07.10.04 Hershey Park Stadium (Hershey, Penn.)


06.25.05 Hershey Park Stadium (Hershey, Penn.)
Birthday present from John. 3rd row.


07.02.05 Live 8 @ Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philly)
Worked on the show, member of production staff. My job -- I kid you not -- was to drive DMB violin player Boyd Tinsley back and forth to his hotel (in addition to wrangling talent, including Keith Urban and Sarah McLachlan, to the stage). Hit it off with him and the band manager. Due to my mad driving skillz and wicked sense of humor ("No, Boyd, that can't be Elton John's motorcade, it's only 1 SUV and we all know his ego alone would take up 2!"), they invited John and I to their show the next day and comped us tickets in their friends and family section as well as backstage passes.


07.05.05 Tweeter Center (Camden, NJ)
See 07.02.05. Thanks, Boyd!


12.13.05 Wachovia Center (Philly)
Called in a favor to their assistant, and once again got backstage passes. Had a blast with Mary at this one.


08.28.06 Hollywood Bowl (Hollywood, Calif.)
Words can't describe how amazing seeing this band at this venue was...we needed an excuse for a California trip, and this gig helped us make one up.


10.01.07 Hollywood Bowl (Hollywood, Calif.)
We loved it so much we did it again. This time, though, we'd decided to move back to California. Only problem? I was already out here working, and John was back in Philly waiting (patiently) for the house to sell. So he came out for the show, and 2 weeks later the house sold.


08.22.08 Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre (San Diego, Calif.)
A very, very hard show to be at. We lost LeRoi, and this show took place three days after his death. It was like being at a funeral, and so very odd to see them performing without LeRoi. When they came out, I cried. Hard. It was so emotional. Then it was cathartic, almost happy, a celebration for the rest of the show.


06.28.09 Hyde Park (London, England)
Nothing says, "Happy 5th Wedding Anniversary!" like a trip to Europe and a date with DMB.

2012
The Gorge (2 nights) and San Diego.