Every week I write a column called BE YOU for one of the local papers (The Times of Acadiana) – Each week someone different answers the questionnaire – the paper often has to edit them,  so here are all the answers, unedited (the whole truth.) This week – Dustin and Jennifer Melancon.

Dustin and Jennifer Melancon are the owners and geniuses behind the tastiness that is Sophi P. Cakes on Johnston Street. I refuse to believe that anyone in Acadiana has not tried their cupcakes yet, and so if you haven’t been there, you should fix that straight away. Jen and Dustin are the perfect example of a husband and wife who work together – they thrive on being with each other, and (according to me) you can taste their love in the cupcakes. They are funny, and sweet with a little bit of attitude  – yes, I’m talking about Dustin and Jennifer as well as what they make.

What was your first job?
Dustin:Outside of Bailing Hay for my Paw Paw in high school, it was Delivering Pizza for B.J.’s in 1994…Thanks Kamal!
Jen: Working wait staff at Broussard’s Catering inside the CajunDome.

Describe a typical day in your life.
Dustin: Go to CC’s for Mochassippi with extra shot, Get to work, sell a $#@T Ton of Cupcakes(That is a Metric Measurement) , eat Dinner then hang out with Jenn and our Babies (Sashi the Pug & Chloe the Corgi/Chow Mix) Go to Sleep and do it all again the next day!
Jen: Basically, I wake up, get coffee (I’m talkin’ about you, CC’s), go to the bakery, work allllll day, go home, hang with Dustin and the doggies, read a little, go to sleep and do it all over again.

What advice would you give the younger you?
Dustin: You’re Never Going to be a Pro Skateboarder so Maybe Try Just a Little Harder in School!!!
Jen: Don’t get rid of that weight bench, and don’t stress so much, because it all works
out.

What event in your life most shaped who you are now?
Dustin: Meeting my wife 13 years ago…Glad I crashed that party!
Jen: There was never one event. I have succeeded as much as I have failed, and each has made me work harder and want to be better than the me of yesterday.

What values do you live by?
Dustin: I’m not very religious, but I’m a huge supporter of the Golden Rule!
Jen: Honesty and hard work.

What do you most appreciate?
Dustin: Being alive and making it through my early 20’s, so I could meet my wife.  She basically saved my life!
Jen: How I was raised…my folks gave us a good moral and ethical background. They taught us to work hard, and to go through life honestly, knowing that it would be harder for us…but that it was just the right thing to do.

What is your favorite journey?
Dustin: Hard to say..Wheel in the Sky is Awesome, but Any Way You Want It rocks pretty hard!
Jen: My life right now. I am living my dream of owning my own bakery, something I have wanted since I was a child. Everything I have ever done has brought me to this moment in time….it’s not easy, but I would not change the course for anything else in the world.

What living figure most inspires you?
Dustin: Danny Way! He is a Pro Skateboarder who has suffered many horrible injuries (Broken neck for one) but every time he comes back stronger & manages to do something crazier & better than he did before.

What was the best advice you were ever given?
Jen: Always be able to take care of yourself.

What book would you tell everyone to read?
Dustin: Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree”.  So simple, yet such a great fable.
Jen: Who Moved My Cheese?

What is the best thing about where you live?
Dustin: Lafayette is Awesome, because it is a small city with a big city vibe…the people are friendly and the food is outstanding!
Jen: What’s there not to love about Lafayette? I was born and raised here; our bakery is a few blocks from where I grew up. You can form a lifelong friendship in under 2 minutes….I love this town!

How do you “let the good times roll”?
Dustin: That’s changed a little over the years, but now a days I like to go out to eat with friends, have a few drinks and reminisce about the good times we’ve had.
Jen: On the couch, with Dustin and the babies (our dogs), dinner and a movie.

What did u want to be when you grew up?
Dustin: After seeing Indiana Jones as a kid, I wanted to be an archeologist…but then I got a skateboard and I wanted to be a professional skateboarder. Surprisingly, Cupcakery Owner wasn’t even on the list
Jen: A pastry chef….seriously.

What is your motto?
Dustin: Life is what you make it!
Jen: Ain’t no hill for a stepper. (I took this from my Pop… no matter what obstacle is in front of you, you can tackle it one step at a time) I say this in my head about a thousand times a day.

How would you like to be remembered?
Dustin: As someone who enjoyed life and made others smile 
Jen: As the person who created the sweet potato and cracklin cupcake. Yeah, it’s called the Big Bad John.

What do you say to yourself when you doubt yourself?
Jen: Doubt-smoubt…I Got This!

What three things are vital to BEing YOU?
Dustin:
1. Great Sense of Humor
2. PMA(Positive Mental Attitude)
3. Learning Something New Everyday

Jen:
1. Always having a master plan, a back-up plan & a back-up, back-up plan
2. Food fixes everything.
Dustin….can’t live without him.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Dustin: “No Worries” or  “Right On”
Jen: Awesome

What is your favorite word?
Dustin: Awesome…I added it to my vocabulary in ’84 and I probably use it 50 times a day
Jen: It’s probably a toss-up between Awesome, Hooligan or Discombobulated

What food could you live on for a month?
Dustin: Definitely Ramen Noodles, because I’ve done it before
Jen: Italian

What would you change about yourself?
Dustin: I’m bad about staying in touch with people…I think about all my friends & family all the time, but I rarely call or write.
Jen: I am a true pessimist…I guess it would be ok if I was not.

Describe yourself in five words.
Dustin: Easy Going Laid Back Dude
Jen: Cupcake Ninja to the extreme!

What music defines who you are?
Dustin: Too many musical Genre’s and Artists to list….
Jen: I am all over the place with music; I guess what truly defines me is Morrissey-esque music, slow and sad; but then again, I love Reverend Horton Heat, best live show ever…the Breeders…Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash…there’s too many.

What do you most regret?
Jen: That I was overly cautious as a kid, I always pictured the worst case scenario, so I did not do a lot outside of my comfort level. I missed out on a lot (sorry I did not ride that elephant, Pop).

What question do you wish I’d asked?
Dustin: How many fingers am I holding up?

What would the answer be?
Dustin:  2 for Peace 🙂