Welcome back my excitable family! A new week is upon us and that brings us the new fan spotlight. Time to meet Heather Jensen!
Flashback to when Heather was a mere 15, she was friends with a girl named Kara who Heather claims was so much cooler than she was and Kara taught her a lot about music and life in general. Kara introduced Heather to many bands and one of those just happened to be 311. “I was instantly hooked. Their sound was so upbeat and different than anything I had heard. It was easy to become a lifetime fan, even at such a young age. They were also my first concert without my parents.”
Sixteen shows is the count Heather stands at, but she also didn’t start counting until 2014 when she went on her first 311 cruise, which happened to be her first big event. Since then she increased her number quickly and most recently saw them at Red Rocks this year. So far her favorite show she’s been to was the anniversary show last year in Omaha…or the cruise, it’s tough to decide. “That sail away show just fills you with a sense of euphoria that’s hard to describe. Up until the last cruise, I didn’t know much about the familia or the excitable ones. Being a part of that opened my eyes, and changed my life really. I met so many amazing people and was introduced to this whole new world! There is so much love, and a feeling of acceptance and belonging. Taking it all in is like nothing most of us have ever experienced before.”
“Made in the Shade” is the song that means the most to Heather, becoming one of her favorites over the last year. “I just love the words and their meaning. Any time I am feeling down or just need someone or something to remind me that life gets hard sometimes, and to keep moving, I listen to this song. It reminds me that things could always be worse.” Some of her favorite lyrics from songs include “Bout time to give up on, the same old stuff I’m stuck on…just say that it went wrong, and move it along. Sayonara, til’ tomorrow, it’s just how it goes sometimes,” “You can’t be let down, if you don’t expect the world,” and “The same force that flows through every circuit, the juice that’s spent every time you work it…every life form is based on this simplicity, the soul that you have is electricity.”
At 10 years of age Heather moved with her parents and little brother to Overland Park, Kansas, and she has been there ever since aside from a short stint of living in Los Angeles. Heather has done a lot of traveling and says Kansas is a great hub. “I have been to Europe twice and probably seen more than half of the U.S., including all of the Hawaiian islands. I’ve been really lucky to have some amazing adventures. There is so much more of this world I can’t wait to see! I like to jokingly tell people that traveling is my substitute for children!” Heather currently works the front desk and child center at a family owned gym and she loves it! “The people are amazing and I look forward to going to work every day, which is not something everyone gets to say.” She also tends bar in the evenings for extra money.
Cool hobby that Heather has is collecting mason jars, old jars, and old bottles. “Kind of a nerdy/grandma hobby lol, but I just love anything that’s old or worn in. Brings me back to a time when things were more simple and people were more pleasant to each other. I probably have 30-40 Mason jars and old bottles at this point. I am always looking for more. My Mom and I love to go to estate sales, antique shops and so on looking for treasures.”
Heather also has a big love for all animals and has a big soft spot for them. “I have always had a soft spot in my heart for them, and believe they deserve the same rights as humans. Everyone in my family has always had several animals, so I just grew up around people who loved them too. In the last few years I have made changes in my life to become more animal friendly and more considerate of the sacrifices they make for us.” Heather is a cat lover and she adopted all of her cats from either a shelter or people who couldn’t keep them anymore. “At one point I had 3 cats, and in the last 2 years I lost all of them. Just recently my youngest passed away from a rare disease called Cushings. Helping her deal with her symptoms every day, and go through that together showed me what unconditional love really is. It was VERY tough, but I feel lucky to have been able to give all of them a great home over the years.”
Guilty pleasure for Heather comes in the form of anything involving true crime whether it’s T.V. or books. “I religiously listen to podcasts about criminals and murder lol. Real Crime Profile, Serial and My favorite murder are my top three. I always wanted to be a Criminal Profiler in the FBI when I was little. Although that’s not the field I ultimately chose to go into, I am still pretty obsessed with human behavior. There is nothing more fascinating in my opinion.”
When not listening to 311, Heather can be found jamming out to artists such as Dirty Heads, Incubus (who she has seen as many times as 311), Stick Figure, Justin Timberlake, Diplo, Pretty Lights, Chromeo, Skrillex, Big Gigantic, Griz, The Floozies, Beats Antique, and even 80’s music with bands like Toto, which is one of her favorite 80’s bands. “My parents influenced my musical preferences a lot. They had great taste in music, and I owe them so much gratitude for that.”
To 311 Heather’s message is this:
“I would thank them for enriching all of our lives and for bringing us together; for giving all of us so much to look forward to each year. When people ask me about our familia, I like to tell them that it’s not just about the band, it’s about the people, the friendships and the camaraderie; feeling like you belong to something special. The music, and the pleasure of watching them TRULY enjoy what they do, is something I feel lucky to witness time and time again.”
To all her fellow fans:
“Dr. Seuss said it best…’Be who you are, and say what you feel…because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.’ Live your life with no regrets!”
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There you have the tale of Heather Jensen’s love for 311! Thank you Heather for being a part of this and thank you to all those that read each week! You are all amazing people and I hope to one day have interviewed you all. Until we meet again 311 nation…go stay positive and love your life.
Much love – The Runt