Jenfest 2011: The Souvenirs

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Every year I have a Jenfest souvenir.  Some years they don’t look much like something you would want to keep (like the personalized JENGO cards from last year) or the autographed photo of my silly headshot from 2003. But some of them are pretty awesome like the Jentrification bottle caps from 2008 or the match books from 2007.

This year I had thrown in the towel on the Jenfest souvenir tradition.  I just didn’t have any inspiration.  Thankfully, my friend Corrie did.  She said that bar hops are really fun when people all have matching mardi gras beads.

Fun!!  A google search found me extra plastic discs that I could personalize and attach.  Under budget and a fun souvenir!

As usual when Jenfest is concerned I got a little crazy-eyed and probably made too many. Oooh well.

My sister Alexandra helped me create the souvenirs until late last night. She also learned how to spell the word souvenir along the way.

Join us tonight at Jenfest 2011 The Bad Hair North Oakland Romp and take one home!!  Or just see me sometime in the next ten years and get an extra.  You can pick up one of the 2009 beer cap magnets while you’re at it. Continue Reading

I've long been coveting a carnivorous plant

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Last summer I visited a shop in Stinson Beach and got to talking to the shop owner.  His work space was surrounded by a few carnivorous plants.  I expressed my surprise that he was keeping them inside and would want such terrifying plants so close by*.  He said that you wouldn’t believe how many bugs they catch–bugs that he doesn’t have to hang out with in his workspac

Well, I didn’t think that there were that many bugs to catch in my workplace.  I noted his eccentrities and moved on.

But every since I notice dozens of bugs a day!!  And every time I see (or hear) one I covet his carnivorous plants silently chugging along to do their part in making a peaceful workplace.    Continue Reading

I love Poppin.com

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

I have been on a hunt for a cute tape dispenser for quite some time now.

I’ve had the same tape dispenser for quite some time. I decorated it back in 1992 or something when I first got it with gold metallic ink and green permanent pens. It was kinda cute.

Since then I’ve lost the thing that actually holds the roll of tape and  it’s lost all of its original splendor.  For the past couple years I have been on a hunt for either the missing piece (so that it might serve to be a tape dispenser again and I could redecorate it) or an adorable new tape dispenser to brighten my work life.

My sad, old, unusable decrepit tape dispenser.

In my search I found tape dispensers that look like shoes (tacky), clear acrylic tape dispensers (imagine how visible the dust would be!), silly ones that resemble animals or some such and the run-of-the-mill plain ones. I wasn’t satisfied. Continue Reading

I love German Typography

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

We’ve been back from our Europe 2011 adventure for a month today. I’ll save my rant about the passage of time for another day.

I loved many things about Germany, but their typography stuck out for me. Here in Oakland, CA, the best thing about our street signs is that there’s an oak tree on them. The funniest thing about that is that oak trees are actually fairly hard to find around here… but that’s neither here nor there.

The typography is nice, clean and elegant on this Oakland street sign.  I love the ‘g’ and the spacing is nice…

…but somehow this German street sign has more even more elegance and nuance.  Perhaps it’s the perfect spacing between the letters or just the addition of the ß that adds that extra oomph I like so much. Continue Reading

Let’s Hitch Our Wagons to this Star

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

The Guster was really, really great in our movie Hanging with the Gus Man. What? You haven’t seen it?? Watch it now; you won’t be sorry. Seen it? Watch it again! It’s so brilliant*.

He popped up right when we needed him too. A little bit of cat treat on my fingers was all I needed to get him to approach at just the right moment.

All in all, it was an amazing filming experience.

So, I said to Will the other day, “Let’s hitch our wagons to this star. We’ll become cat handlers, move to LA. Get Gus an agent. It’s our destiny.” Continue Reading

True Love

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

He wouldn’t admit it, but Will loves the Guster. After so many guys told me that one of the cardinal rules of dating was never talking about your cat, I am evidence that the right person will put up with it, even participate, and grow to feel the same way.

An adorable pair.

And if you’re someone who loves animals, you shouldn’t be with someone who doesn’t love animals. It’s just not natural. Continue Reading

Office Depot Greener Office Delivery Service

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

I needed labels for the totally awesome Jenfest souvenirs and Office Depot was the cheapest retailer that had these labels. Normally I would just go pick them up, but they were only available online. AND if I ordered $50 or more I would receive FREE overnight delivery. Score! I needed staples anyway!

So I worked my way to $50 buying extra toner and pens. I should have gotten some note pads.

The next day the office supplies show up packed in a nice white paper bag proclaiming their delivery service to be the “Greener Office Delivery Service.” Office Depot seems to really be trying to be green; rumor has it they deliver by bicycle in the UK. Everything was placed inside the bag as if I had gone shopping myself (though I would have brought my own bag). I was gratified by the lack of extra packing paper and boxes, and, I have to say, it was convenient.

Then came the harsh reality. The gel pens I had gotten — Gelio is the brand — sport a “comfort grip” that is more like blades of rubber. OW!!

And then I started thinking about it. These labels I needed they only carried online. But here they were in a paper bag as if someone had just wandered around the store picking things out. Something didn’t add up. Continue Reading

Jenfest 2011

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

I love throwing parties.  It’s pretty much the highlight of my life.

I’ve been throwing a Jenfest every year since 2003.  This year will be the ninth.  Every year I go over budget, and lose about a month of my life to ridiculous details, planning and souvenir-making.

Daydreaming about Jenfest starts somewhere in February.  I’ve long had a dream of renting the Roxie and having a movie night complete with appropriate games, songs and refreshments.  The long-coveted fantasy Jenfest is a giant concert starring my favorite band, Pulp*. I still have hope that that dream may come true…

This year I was planning a Guerrilla Outdoor Movie Night on Broadway.  The plan was to project a movie on an unrented building and take over the adjoining parking lot with camping chairs, blankets, and a popcorn machine.  Sounds fun, right?  The idea of a Winona Ryder (my favorite!) film festival was bounced around. Continue Reading

The Story of My Four Deodorants

Posted on by Jennifer Heller

Awhile ago my deodorant ran out. I reluctantly purchased a new deodorant (when did they get so expensive??).  That’s how I wound up with one deodorant again.

About a week later I went down to Bakersfield with my friend Mike to go to one of our college friend Laura’s amazing parties. It rocked, but I forgot my new deodorant.

Luckily, we stopped a TJs along the way and I picked up another one. That’s how I came to have two deodorants.

A few weeks later we left for Europe, and again I forgot my deodorant!! What is it with me and forgetting my deodorant?? I finally broke down and bought some in a Schlecker in Berlin after borrowing my hosts’ deodorant for a few days*. Now I owned a total of three different deodorants! Continue Reading