WTF??

Ever have those moments, where you just sit back and reflect, and go "What the F was I thinking?"? I've certainly had my fair share of them, probably other people's fair share as well.

I've had quite a few of them in the past weeks and months. WTF was I thinking moving here? WTF was I thinking entertaining the thought that people are actually trustworthy and good? WTF was I thinking helping out someone so ungrateful? WTF is with the humidity here? WTF was I thinking leaving the comfort of my life in MN?

I'm so torn, it's ridiculous. I loved and hated the comfort there. I like being uncomfortable. It's excites me and thrills me and challenges me to be better. To attain what I want. To experience something new.

At the same time, I love the comfort. Of being able to call my best friend on a moment's notice to check out a photo exhibit. Of having my mom so close I can call and have lunch with her. To be able to go out with my best guy friends and laugh and play pool and throw darts and be one of the guys.

It's only been six months. I know it'll get better and I'll have fewer WTF moments. And I know that three years from now, when I'm ready to make the big leap to the Big Apple, I'll be ready for it, and I won't have those WTF moments. Or at least, not as many. I'm stuck in the present right now, and I need to move forward. I need to be in the future....see it and it will happen. And then all these WTF moments will seem so trivial, but not. It'll be worth it because they taught me to see bigger and dream bigger and be bigger. I'm more than this and I'll get there.

Saturday Boringday?

The life of a single girl isn’t always as glamorous as it seems. Saturday was one of those days. A trip to Target, a venture to the suburbs to meet a friend for a beer, moping (and by moping, I mean eating Baked Doritos, drinking Diet Coke and writing blog posts) about on my porch due to the lack of a social life here – ah, the mundane boring things that married people do!

But then, sometimes the life of a single girl IS as glamorous as it seems!!

A call out to my assistant, pleading for girly time lifted my mood immediately. She had mentioned earlier in the day that she had made a verbal commitment for the evening (which depressed me immediately because I was being a negative nancy). Turns out, the verbal commitment was with a couple co-workers at a super cute restaurant with a fabulous patio.

She had told me a week or so prior about the exclusive “Veuve” parties thrown by one of our co-workers. I didn’t know him that well, but when someone says Veuve, I say how high? I agreed immediately and inquired about the dress code. Fancy schmancy, of course. And what better dress to wear than my new dress straight out of Sex and the City 2?! I of course wanted to wear my new shoes, but the pedicure I treated myself to the day prior dictated open toed shoes. Not wanting to change my yellow purse out for the black one, I settled on these, in blue snakeskin. Yum.

We met at my place and cabbed it here, an ULTRA cute restaurant in the Marigny that used to house servants on an old plantation. The history in this city is amazing. We sat in the little courtyard, sipping champagne, the sounds of water fountains dancing in our ears. While I wasn’t particularly hungry, the crab cake was toying with me, until I saw the macadamia nut cheesecake on the menu. Dessert for dinner? Sold.

After a while, we packed up and into the “bus”, and headed off to the house party. I assumed this would be a most extravagant event, with tons of fabulous people, and amazing appetizers. I was a bit disappointed it was just the four of us, only because the utter hotness I was radiating was completely and utterly wasted with three girls, one husband and the first member of my NOLA gaytourage. Once I got past that though, it was super fun. The house was pure southern charm – his partner is an artist and basically painted the whole house. It was stunning!

We made it through three bottles of Veuve before we cracked the absinthe….in fairness, I only had a sip, but it was much better than I remember it. Maybe it was in the presentation (traditionally with a spoon and flaming sugar vs. out of a bottle in Ireland), maybe it was the company (fabulous colleagues), but it was delightful – the anise danced all over my tongue and down my throat, warming everything as it made its way to its resting spot.

It was one of the best evenings I’ve had since I’ve been here – so thanks to all involved. I really appreciate and can’t wait for the next time.

Wa wa wee wa!

Hey hey!! For the first time in my entire life, I've moved away from home. I don't count the year I spent at Mankato State as being away from home (mainly because I was home every stinkin weekend), so this is quite the jump. I had a dream of moving to the Big Apple and instead I'm in the Big Easy. I will still get to Manhattan, but for now, I'm good here. I'll share the chronicles of the drive down, and everything leading up to it in future posts, but I'll give my first impressions of the city that's below sea level today. Once my computer arrives in a couple of weeks, I'll have more of an opportunity to be a regular poster and contributer.

My first night here was Wednesday. I checked into my new hotel and had dinner in the bar. After talking to Sam for a while, I decided to check out this thing called Bourbon Street. You may have heard of it. I certainly had, and it was everything I expected and more. I only walked a few blocks down, past a bunch of gentlemen's clubs, and found a bar with a live band and 3-for-1's! Seriously? Granted my Red Bull/Vodka was $16, but still....it was huge! And I'm not normally a size queen. The band was pretty good too. I made friends with an older couple (George and Susie, you're absolutely adorable!!), and a few guys that were in town doing some contracting work of some sort. We found an Irish pub (I'm a complete sucker for a good Irish pub) and played pool and then I headed back home.

Thursday I slept in, ordered room service, and met my new co-workers. They seemed really nice and I think I'm going to fit in just wonderfully. A friend of a friend picked me up and toured me around the city a bit. I really like the Uptown area. This weekend I'll do more driving around as I don't generally like sleeping while I work (or having the pen dipped in the company ink). Just makes me too accessible.

Friday I had some loose ends to tie up in Minneapolis so I went back for the weekend. Yesterday marked the first day on the job - touring around the building, meeting some of my new colleagues, an all afternoon meeting and a quick reception. I'd been hearing nothing but wonderful things about the Cuban sandwich at Cajun Mikes, and since I was unable to get one on Sunday (stupid wonderful crawfish boil!), I went back Monday. And it was wonderful. So were the people I was sitting next to. So wonderful, in fact, that I ended up staying way past my bedtime (completely missing my date with Jack Bauer), and laughed and laughed and laughed. Also, I will be back on Wednesday to try said Cuban sandwich with bacon. Bacon makes everything better, I say.

All in all, the first few days have been wonderful, and I'm excited to discover all this city has to offer in the coming years. That's right, I plan on being here at least three years. C'mon, I want to be at a Super Bowl dammit!! And hopefully the Vikings will be in it. There are a lot of things I will adopt about this city - po' boys, crawfish, jambalya, gumbo, Mardi Gras, Jazzfest, all the other Fests - but the Saints are NOT one of them. This girl is a Viking fan for life. Please don't beat me up because of it.

Lastly, I don't care what anyone says, Minnesota Nice is a farce. I was born and raised there, and it's a load of crap. It's more like Minnesota Passive-Agressive. Southern Hospitality is where it's at. Thanks for being so welcoming so far. I truly cannot wait to fall in love with this city and the people here.