Kristin Hersh

Occasionally, I check in on bands/artists I enjoyed from back in the day to see (a) what they are up to and (b) if they are touring. I always have the WORST timing, to the point where I nearly cringe before the tour date page loads. Most times, I just missed them.

Well, I guess this makes up for it.

Hersh is playing 3 dates in Massachusetts in April. It's hard to imagine acoustic versions of Counting Backwards and Not Too Soon, not to mention Bright Yellow Gun. But, hey, I'm totally down for it. She'll probably perform some stuff from 50 Foot Wave, too.

If you are into Throwing Muses, or 50 Foot Wave, you ought to check out her site. She's writes a pretty good blog, too.

Average is Underrated. Fo' Shizzle.

Man, the celebrity life has to blow. Just like the next sucker, I get drawn into these outrageous tabloid stories. I love a good train-wreck. It makes me feel grateful for this thing we called anonymity. It's nice to have privacy. I take great comfort in the fact that I can schlep to the laundromat in my Target yoga pants and Bikini Kill t-shirt - unshowered - and no one gives a damn. Do you think any of these celebs wish, just for a day, that they could blend into the crowd? I'll bet some of them do.

You can argue that it's all worth it somehow because the money makes up for it. What if, though, you could attach a real price tag to anonymity? Say that a person's anonymity is worth $50 million, tax free. That's a lot of money. It could even be more. Imagine how much money a celebrity doles out for security, private rooms, special covert services, etc. It's an ongoing expense. The bigger the star, the more expensive it is. And the paparazzi still manage to squeeze into their private moments and snap pictures of their disgusting, flabby butts on the beach. If you miss a spot shaving, people all over the globe are going to know about it.

And what about trust? Most of us have a few shifty people in our lives. It's unavoidable. But, the majority of the people we know and interact with are pretty honest and relatively trust-worthy. Because you can't offer them much except for the same treatment in return, most people are, "real." On the other hand, if you were an A-lister, there's a lot that the average person might want from you. Money, opportunities, exploitation. They aren't interested in the person as much as what the person can do for them. Pretty soon, you don't know who you can trust. You don't know who is going to stab you in the back next. You don't know which writer is going to tear your album or movie to shreds. It's no wonder these people all turn to drugs!

If you are a woman of average height, you'd better not weigh more than 95 pounds. If you are a man, you'd better start making some lady friends - fast! You don't want the media to start wondering about you.

There are so many problems and stresses with this kind of life, I don't think I could ever live it. I like my $50 million tax-free anonymity. I keep it in a perfectly-lit display case, right next to my Charlie Card and pictures of my friends, family and pets. Ah, to be average.

Throwing Muses, 50 Foot Wave and Screaming Females at the Middle East

My sore legs were worth it. We stood through five hours and three full sets of kick-you-right-where-you-pee music last night. At times, I thought: They know we are an aging crowd, why are they making us wait so long? But, really, I had no business complaining. They tore the roof off.

Screaming Females, a trio of indie-punky musicians from New Jersey, were a real breath of fresh air. The lead vocalist (and incidentally lead guitarist) was the mitochondria. She whaled, she screamed, she transported me. Her name is Marissa Paternoster, by the way. I hope Screaming Females can help turn the pathetic current bullshit music scene right on its head.

Hersch and the crew did not disappoint (Except they didn't play Counting Backwards. Oddly, this single is not available on iTunes, either. Is there a connection?). It's hard to believe that voice could possibly come out of such a small woman. But it does. And I am ever-so-grateful. I've always gravitated toward female performers who aren't afraid to belt it out. I hate the girly-girl, baby-talk type performers. I won't mention any names (Jewel). Joanna Newsom is a rare exception for many reasons I won't get into here. Give me a gal who tears it up any day of the week! Throwing Muses, 50 Foot Wave and Screaming Females: A + + +

STELLA MARIE SOAP COMPANY IS LIVE!

The site is up and running! If you or someone you know loves soap and bath goodies, please visit me at stellamariesoap.com! I accept all major credit cards through Pay Pal and I can ship anywhere in the world. (end of personal plug)

Saw the Celtics demolish the Knicks last last at the Garden. Oh, my. There was a humiliating 50 point gap in the score for a good part of the game. I am hoping to get a House jersey under the tree this year. Love that guy. Same number as Timlin.

Speaking of the Red Sox - can you even imagine how lethal the Sox would be with Santana in the rotation? It makes me feel like we are becoming the Yankees a little, though. I almost prefer being a scrappier team.

Soap Make Me Happy

I love soap. I love buying soap. I love using soap. And I love making soap. At this point, it's just a hobby. I make soap for certain holidays, take it into work and sell it. I also give it away as gifts. I've recently made apple cinnamon, orange, peppermint, grapefruit, and lime. I use the "melt and pour" method, which is sort of soapmaking for dummies. I plan to make the leap to cold process soapmaking very, very soon. I have a billion ideas for scents, additives, textures and molds. I am always inspired when I go to LUSH, which is one of the finest contemporary soap businesses (of course, they make cosmetics and other body products). Their colors are vivid, their bars are chunky, and they don't skimp on one single thing. I really love their all-or-nothing approach. Going into LUSH is a treat for all senses. They really understand the importance of the consumer experience. It's very much like going to your favorite coffee house. You can make a cup of coffee at home for a few pennies, but you don't get the heavenly coffee smells, the temptations behind the glass, and the Husker Du. So, you are willing to fork over 3 or 4 dollars for a mug of really aromatic French roast. A good soapmaking business approach is one where the consumer feels as though he or she is getting a really special thing. And like cafe latte, soap is an affordable indulgence.

I am always enchanted by ORIGINS. The whole "spa freshness" element is irresistible. You feel as though you are being transported to a tranquil, happy place. Every thing is natural and wonderful and pampery. And yeah, I guess 20 bucks for a bottle of hand lotion seems steep when you compare it to St. Ives or whatever, but you are going to love using every last drop of your ORIGINS product. You won't take any of it for granted. I feel the same way about AVEDA, but I am not going to get fooled into buying a 50 dollar bottle of conditioner. Sorry.

So, there are officially 4 things I want to accomplish in the next 3 years:

1. Buy a house in western Massachusetts
2. Start a legitimate soapmaking business
3. Write my grandmother's memoir
4. Finish the painting series I started a year ago

Not necessarily in this order.

Down 5

I finally lost 5 pounds. It's taken me nearly 3 full weeks of careful dieting and devout workouts and virtually no alcohol consumption. Boy, it sure is tough to drop weight as you get older! And I've still got 10 more to go! The good news is that my thighs are now ready for softball. And this year, we have the option of joining a new "work" league, which is different from regulation Boston Ski and Sports Club style softball.

Went to see the Celtics cream the Bobcats at the Garden last night. And I finally bought my Eddie House shirt! I love #50! I adore Garnett, too, but everyone has a KG shirt. Why must House take a back seat? What an amazing game! Rondo is such a joy to watch, too. Not amazing: waiting to exit the parking garage afterward.

How weird is it that the Red Sox signed Bartolo Colon to a minor league deal? A few years ago, this guy was the Ace to beat. Now, with an extra 40 or so pounds on his body, he is vying for a position in the pen with Boston. Life is funny that way.

Work stinks right now. Can I just say that? I am really dreading it these days, as I am working on a horrible and hellish project with a client that should really know better. The good news is that it will only be horrible and hellish for about a month.

IKEAR (Bostonians add r's to words that don't technically have them.)

Between waiting in line at the register, waiting to pick up our furniture, and waiting in line to get our furniture shipped, we spent a good 2 hours in a queue at IKEA today. You might think we're nuts, but we saved over 50 bucks due to the tax-free weekend purchase!

Here are the goods:

[Red Sofa Bed]

[black and white rocker]