Saturday, August 28, 2010

There's No Place Like Home

I'm back in New Orleans after a week in New Jersey and it feels good to be home. Not to say that I didn't have a good time seeing family and friends, but every time I leave the city I start to get antsy after a few days and want to come home. It was my boyfriend's first trip to the northeast and overall it was a good experience. We went to Philly, NYC, the Jersey Shore, and ate lots of pizza and other tasty things in good company. But I did experience one "cold water in the face" moment........in my mother's bathroom there was a scale and I couldn't resist the siren's call. Now, let me say, at this point, that I haven't weighed myself in a year and was living blissfully in that ignorance. Don't get me wrong, I was aware that I'm fat and had even been feeling like I've gained but, somehow, someway, not knowing that exact number allows you to live in the haze of denial. So, I stepped on the scale and waited for that digital number to appear. That number? Not good. In fact, it took my breath away. That number and worries about money kinda took the wind out of my sails on this trip. But, on both accounts, you just get back on the horse. Life goes on and the world isn't going to stop if I gain 5 pounds or I'm late on a credit card payment for the first time in my life. Plus....my boyfriend weighed himself on that scale, and when he did it again the next day it said he'd gained 10 pounds. See...I knew that scale had to be wrong. There's always hope.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Not A Bad Way to Spend a Few Hours

This evening I attended the premiere of Spike Lee's "If God is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise" at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. "Creek" is Lee's sequal to the award winning "When the Levees Broke" and depicts where New Orleans is 5 years after Hurricane Katrina. Again, he did a beautiful job. The film was provocative, as expected, and didn't shy away from any of the political or social issues that hang over New Orleans like a permanent black cloud. I liked that Mayor Landrieu was in the audience watching and hope that he actually heard what people had to say. On a lighter note, I do have to point out....how much the Saints mean to the people of this city. The film opened with a segment on the Saints, including the key plays of our Super Bowl win, and the audience just went wild! It was like watching it for the first time - joyful and exuberant! The event was free, including a bar and appetizers, and there were a lot of familiar faces in the crowd (New Orleans is like a small town) including famous ones. Which brings me to another thing I love about New Orleans.....we treat celebrities with such indifference. Probably one of the things they love about it too.So, not a bad evening. Would have liked to go out for a bit afterward but I have to be at the spa at 8am for a meeting. Morning is not my favorite time of day. BUT I only have two days at work this week with my NJ vacation looming ahead.

Oh, and after all of my agonizing, quitting the retail job wasn't bad at all. Made the call on Saturday, Sunday was my last day. Simple as that...drama free.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Unnecessary Aggravation

This week has been chaotic. Stressing myself over relationship stuff and work stuff. Relationship stuff seems to be resolved but the work stuff, not quite. I'm a licensed massage therapist working at Spa Aria in the Monteleone Hotel in the Quarter. Love my job but it was starting to take its toll on my body....constant aches and pains. So, I decided to give up a day at the spa and look for a part time job. Found one pretty quickly at a clothing shop in the Quarter. I liked it at first, was having a good time with it, but I'm finding that I'm just not making enough money there. Plus.....I HATE working Sundays. Especially during football season. Of course, that is the day they want me to work. There are other issues with the job that make it a bad match for me but those are the main two. So, for the past few nights, I haven't been able to sleep because I'm trying to figure out what and when I'm going to tell the shop owner. The truth would be best, I know, and I definitely want to do it before we go on vacation next Friday so I don't have to think about it anymore. But it's still awkward. In my mind I know I'm making a big deal out of nothing, I'm only working there one day a week, for God's sake, but I tend to obsess over this type of thing. I just want it overwith. Anyway, with my self-imposed anxieties and a week long, money draining vacation ahead of me, I haven't been very social. Going to try to get out this evening for Dirty Linen Night on Royal Street but I have so much to get done before we leave next week. I suppose I'll just see what happens and where the day takes me.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Progress, However Small

I've been slightly successful in meeting my new goal of getting out more, but there's definitely room for improvement. On Wednesday, after spending hours creating this blog, I was not in a social mood. (To say I'm lacking computer skills is an understatement.) On Thursday I was too tired to go out after work....my usual exscuse. Friday was my day....the kickoff of Satchmo Summerfest. I colored my hair, put on a cute outfit and headed over to Port of Call for a late lunch and an early start on the evening's festivities and libations. Had a big fat mushroom cheeseburger and a monsoon (their house drink) to get things started. Port of Call is a busy place with a great mix of locals and tourists who come in for burgers and stiff drinks. Some people eat & leave. Some people, like me, linger over drinks and people watch. The bartenders can be a bit surly and they put up with ZERO crap from people. (I, again, had the pleasure of watching the person two seats away get thrown out.) But they keep things running smoothly, so the place is tolerable even with the crowds. And it's also one of those places where I can't resist having an alcoholic beverage. I have a love/hate relationship with booze. I love everything about bars...the smells, the social aspect, the sounds...there's a certain camaraderie that goes with the territory. To me, there's nothing better than a dark, neighborhood dive bar with a jukebox and an afternoon stretching ahead of you. (I prefer afternoon drinking.) What I hate is not knowing when to say when, making an ass out of myself, and feeling like ass the next day. Anyhoo....Friday was a drinking day. At around 6 I headed over to dba on Frenchmen Street to see the Carl LeBlanc Band featuring "Big Fine" Ellen Smith and meet up with my boyfriend.. It's been years since I've heard Ellen sing and she still sounds and looks great. I don't think she gets enough recognition. And I LOVE that she calls herself Big Fine Ellen....that confidence! I would be mortified if anyone called me "big" anything. I very much prefer denial. After their show and more cocktails we just hung on Frenchmen with the local characters listening to Rebirth Brass Band throw it down on the street. Then.....the rain came. It poured. And like a drunken idiot I wanted to dance in it. Nice thought, but after soaking myself I found that my freshly dyed hair ran onto my clothing. Not only did I look like a fool, my clothes were ruined. Decided it was time to pack it  in and was in bed by 11. Saturday was quiet. Sunday I went out to the Satchmo Fest and got a po' boy and checked out the Baby Boyz Brass Band. Those young boys were gettin' it!!! I had to marvel at how the crowds of people were ignoring the oppressive heat. I, however, could not. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a Law&Order: SVU marathon on and I'm missing it.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Just What the World Needs.....Another Blog

So, here it is, my first blog entry. I turned 40 recently and although I'm not one of those people who thinks this makes me old, the situation did make me assess where I am in life at this point. This is what I came up with...I am overweight, in debt, lacking spiritually, occasionally depressed, an emotional wreck (at times), lazy, mentally unstimulated, unhealthy, in a relationship that has it's ups and downs (like every relationship), constantly wasting time, restless, and in a general funk/rut....whatever you want to call it. The good things being that I'm still breathing and I live in New Orleans. Oh, and the aforementioned relationship. I felt that maybe this imbalance between good and bad/mediorce should be addressed and remedied. Hence, my new blog. I'm using this blog as my inspiration and motivation to get my ass off of the couch and out the door to partake in all the fun this city offers. (A person can only watch so many Law&Order reruns.) Also, I enjoy writing and talking about myself and this offers a creative outlet.... no matter how marginal. Anyhoo...I'll be reporting periodically on my adventures and on my ruminations and rants on life in general. So, if you somehow stumbled upon this blog I hope you, first, get a laugh out of it; and second, I hope it makes you want to visit New Orleans. And if you live here, I hope it makes you want to get out and live life to the fullest in this beautiful city. But you should be doing that wherever you live because life is just too short. (Cliche'd, I know.)

P.S. Excuse any spelling/grammatical errors...not my forte'.

P.P.S. I'm aware that the word "sherbert" in the title is also spelled "sherbet" and that my spelling is possibly considered wrong, but it's also listed in places as the "American" variation. Plus I just liked it spelled that way.