Monday, January 14, 2013

Great Expectations

Well, here we are 2 weeks into the new year already. And, as I always am at this time of year, I'm feeling so optimistic. I don't know why, but I think that good things are going to happen this year and it makes me breathe easier. This is not to say that everything has changed and all stresses have been eliminated with the arrival of 2013, it's just that I'm choosing to focus on the potential and possibilites ahead. I feel like something new and exciting can happen and that's....well....exciting! I don't think that this is going to just happen on it's own or fall out of the sky and hit me on the head. Hell, I can't even pinpoint what I think is going to change. It's just a feeling that I've been having. But I do know that I have to help it along. To that end I'm just trying to be an overall better person by consciously practicing patience, empathy, a positive attitude, and generally manifesting good things. I totally believe that what you put out in life is what comes back to you. And all of the criticizing/judging of others, complaining, and self-pity that we engage in just isn't helpful. Now, these qualitites also don't disappear overnight. You have to work at it. Hard. Even the Dalai Lama will tell you that he is not perfect in this way and that it takes great effort. But I think it's a worthy endeavor. I guess you could say that I'm on a mission to banish the negativity from my life and live in a more fulfilling way. It's high time to get to work.

There are several areas in my life that need attending to in order to achieve my overall attitude adjustment and I'm going to start with my everpresent burden.....my weight. Honestly, I am so sick of hearing myself talk about it that it's just time to DO SOMETHING. I re-joined Weight Watchers yesterday. My way didn't work. For whatever reason, I need the structure, accountability, and support that they provide. It can be expensive, tedious at times, and downright annoying if you don't have a good leader, but I have to do it. I have to stop fucking around and just lose this weight already. Being thin may not be the key to being happy in life. But it sure as hell helps. I'm fat now and I've been thin. There's a difference. I'd rather be thin. Period. End of story. Weight Watchers is a start. Next up on my list of things in need of an overhaul is my relationship. But I'm not going to get into all of that on here right now because there are two people involved, not just me. I will say that we are coming up on 4 years of being together and are still not on the same page about some key things. All relationships have their ups and downs. Sometimes you have to make a decision regarding what you are willing to compromise on and what you aren't willing to live with. This isn't fun. But neither is living with a situation that isn't ideal for you. This goes both ways. Everyone should be able to live the life they choose to live. With that being said, I have some thinking to do and decisions to make in this area. Next in line is the job situation. But that is what it is. I still need to have money coming in so I have to do what I have to do. I still consider myself to be very fortunate, my little trials are less than a lot of people have to deal with. I will grow and learn from whatever happens in the next few months and continue to belive that everything always falls into place.

Now that we have all of the seriousness out of the way.....I have been able to get out for a bit o' fun in the last 2 weeks. On New Year's Day my mom and I tried out Mojito's for brunch. Nice little place that offers live music and a great courtyard for outside dining. I had a dish called the Sausage Braid: eggs, sausage & cheese wrapped in pastry dough. Really delicious but the portion was small. (Yes, I actually said that after writing about my weight problem.) Sipped on mimosas while listening to The Mumbles, whom I had never seen before. I liked them. The drummer had a pretty soulful voice for a white boy. The one thing about that day that is still etched into my mind is that on the way home we saw a person lying on the ground receiving CPR. Couldn't help but think that was a shitty way to start the new year. Never found out what happened to them. Scary how you never know when your time may come.

The following week my old college professor was in town with his crew and I met up with them to check out trumpeter Kermit Ruffins' new Treme Speakeasy. Kermit performs every Sunday & Monday night. Supposedly at 6, but that's 6 in New Orleans time. Which means 7 or 7:30. It was a cool little place that has table seating and serves down home cookin' cooked by Kermit himself. I didn't eat but the macaroni & cheese looked awesome! Needless to say, the music was also awesome. Kermit and his regular band and several guests rolled through. It was a good time. After that we hit the Palm Court for Lucien Barbarin's last set.

Finally, with the prospect of Weight Watchers looming ahead, my WW buddy, Karen, and I decided to go out for a burger. A last meal, of sorts. Karen picked Finn McCool's, a Mid City Irish bar, for our outing. She couldn't have chosen better! The burger was fantastic! As were the fries and the little fried mac & cheese balls. (Yes, we overdid it.) I ate so much that I was in pain and had to go home and lay down.

So, I'm going to say that, over all, the year is off to a pleasant start. Because good can even come from the difficult situations. And let's face it, I get to live in a city where it's silly not to make the best of things and be happy. When you walk through New Orleans you notice that most people have smiles on their faces. There's a reason for that. In this city, joy can be just around the next corner.

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