Monday, March 27, 2006

make levees not war.

that was the best quote the entire time.  it was on a tshirt.
 
I am also fond of "pop this" on the back of a guy's collar.
 
Or "Otto, it would take ten people to hug that tree!" said by yours truly at Oak Alley.
 
I am also amazed at the number of times people assumed/asked when/wondered if Otto and I were married.  I think it is in the neighborhood of ten.  Four of whom were total strangers. Hmm.
 
I'll post pictures later, gaters.
 
Oh, and I think I've come to a nice little conclusion.  I'm tired of trying to impress people, or at least caring so much what they think.  I mean, sure, you want to impress your boss or your S.O.'s parents or that committee who's deciding whether to give you an award/job/scholarship/freebie on your speeding ticket.  But I'm tired of trying to impress other people.  I like the ones who like me for me.  :) 
 
See, I used to think I needed to get my PhD or whatever to prove that I could.  That I was capable of doing so.  Show I am competent.  But you know what?  If I wanted to, I could be a dentist.  Or a surgeon.  Or a librarian.  Or a teacher.  Or a therapist.  Or a chemist.  Or an accountant.  Or a lawyer.  Or a professional thumb-wrestler. Anything that you can do by virtue of determination and schooling.  And I know that you can't, for instance, teach someone how to have the heart for creating incredible art or the ear to play the harp or the skillz to dunk the basketball.  But you can tell them the basics.  And I would guess that about 90% of vocations have a lot more to do with skill sets and stick-to-it-ive-ness than innate abilities.  But I digress.
 
Anyhow, I'm now thinking about getting my MBA.  Or doing something else entirely.  I admit I like the "wows" and "really"-s and "ooh!"-s I get when I tell people I'm a Chemical Engineer.  But you know what?  I'm not liking it right now.  Not at all.  My favorite subject in the universe has now become my worst enemy (undergrad thermo v. grad thermo), and I don't want to venture into the most lucrative aspect of ChE (petrol) and I don't like the caste systems that seem to be in place.  And I don't give a damn if I don't get the wow-really-ooh-s anymore.  I'll just tell them to myself.  :) Right, anyhow, <insert distracting and cheering-up prestidigitation here>, back to happier thoughts.
 
Like the pink hurricanes, oak trees, mint julips, wedding gowns, jambalaya, high heels, spanish moss, funny little 4 inch circles on the New Orleans streets due to a termite investigation some years ago, cafe du monde beignets and cafe au laits, boutiques on chartres street, fancy dresses, double-windors and four-in-hands, stretch navigators, ariel's mimi and big daddy (with mimi in her vintage and incredibly stylish vintage dresses with high heels and a real valentino purse with pink crystals), flocking to the outside heaters in Pat O's courtyard, open bars with heavy-handed tenders, discussing the subtle-yet-important differences between the pronunciation of carrie and kerry, per the australian named damien, debates about bombay v. tanqueray ten (with tonic and lime), the death-at-a-wedding-banquet picture by our table at the wedding dinner, swing dancing with otto, audrey graciously laughing off having champange punch spilled down her back, being seated at table eleven (on purpose!), shopping with the girls, taking pictures, not having to decide what to wear since it was all planned out, shrimp cocktail, the huppa and saying mazel tov, spilling my own drink four times because i'm clumsy as all get out, fleur de lis, jackson square, pirate's alley, mini beef wellingtons, calling them chriel instead of chris and ariel, the bellmen's outfits at the royal sonesta, their incredible wedding vows and jewish marriage contract, pralines, ring pops and nawlins music, which is kicking, if I do say so myself.
 
it was nice to have so many people thank us for coming and bringing our business to new orleans.  it's a vacation you can feel good about!
 
more to come. only bummers of the weekend, really, were sore feet and that my face soap exploded in my suitcase on the way there.

3 comments:

LO said...

I sympathize with the "Wow" factor of a hard core science/eng degree. But you know, sometimes you need it to shut people up. But as you know, don't use it(my degree) and I've returned to something completely different. I finally got over the "impressing other people" and have returned to "do what's in your heart" (sounds vaguely rush like) - and it feels great!

Anonymous said...

I think this is one of the best posts I've read on here. You know I've always enjoyed hanging out with you and calling you my friend for who you are: you. And if you don't know that, now you do!

You are you and only you and that is a great thing. Keep kickin' ass, seabass (That sounded better in my head).

Anonymous said...

You know what they say....all the Kep dropouts go to BAH. Anyways, I agree with the impressing people thing. It's overrated and I don't know how.

But I've always maintained that being a rocket scientist would be best. For the occasions when people said, "What are you? Some kind of rocket scientist?"

 
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