Get Happy

There have been a number of things making me unhappy lately. And, as it is my tendency to be caught in a web of my own inertia, I sometimes need to be reminded (or remind myself) of all those things in my life that make me happy. I truly believe (most of the time) that happiness is a choice we can make every day and that, even when it seems like life is conspiring to make us miserable, we can choose to be happy. (Obviously depending on the circumstances we have varying degrees of success in this endeavor.) Today, I choose to be happy.

And to aid in my effort to be happy today I'm making a list in no particular order of the things that are making me happy.

1. The weather: Spring appears to be sticking around a bit and it's really showing off today. I'm surrounded by lush green trees, abundant flowers, blue sky and sunshine. It's gorgeous.
2. My job: It's not perfect and it's not everything I want but I am working in a library and putting on programs for children. For these reasons and more, I am lucky to have this job.
3. Adam: He's silly and wonderful and makes me happy everyday. Enough said.
4. Friends: With the distance between all of us, it's easy to sometimes feel like I don't have any friends. And while it's true that local friends are scarce, I do have wonderful friends. And both the local and far-away-friends are only a phone call or e-mail away.
5. My new shoes: I bought these for wandering around Italy and I wore them to work today to break them in and so far they're nice and comfy! (And they're cute.)
6. Dark chocolate in the break room. Again, enough said.

What's helping you choose to be happy today?

The City of New Orleans*

I'm back from my weekend in New Orleans! (Or in my mom's words, "the big...speak easy") We celebrated Anna and Lydia's birthdays, visited some of Lydia's favorite haunts from her time as a native and did some touristy-type things as it was my first visit to the city!

Seriously, who doesn't love Spanish Moss? (Minus the chiggers, obviously.)

Spanish Moss dangling from a live oak** just is the south.

New Orleans Botanical Gardens

The New Orleans Botanical Gardens were a beautiful start to our trip.

In addition to the trees and flowers, the statuary throughout makes everything seem kind of magical, like a story book.

Anna and Lydia as zoo animals...or jailbirds.

I loved this tree so much. I think I took ten pictures of it from all over the gardens.

One of the cool things about the New Orleans Botanical Gardens was that you could really explore and get up close to the plants. Many of the gardens I've been to in the past require that you stay on a specific path and not wander in among the flowers. These gardens had swings dangling from the trees, benches in the middle of an explosion of flowers, trains... This sounds incredibly dumb, but it was a really interactive garden!

Lydia, Me and Anna on a yellow swing.

Lydia and Kate on a green swing.

Dinner @ Jacques-Imo's

Lydia's favorite restaurant was where we headed for dinner our first official night in town.

These pictures are of a truck parked in front of the restaurant. A table for two was set up in the flat-bed.

The front of the truck.

Jacque-Imo's mixes Creole and Cajun styles of cooking to create something that is just...delicious. The restaurant itself is decorated wildly, with framed paintings on the ceilings, mismatched patterned vinyl tablecloths and electric colors everywhere. Upon being seated the waiters bring a plate piled high with the most delicious cornbread in the world, sweet and savory and garlicky...it's fantastic. We ordered the Alligator Sausage Cheesecake as our appetizer which was pretty yummy. This is followed by a spinach salad and then our main courses. The picture is of my order, Godzilla Meets Fried Green Tomatoes aka, soft shell crab over fried green tomatoes with a spicy hollandaise sauce. It was completely amazing. We also had mini-cheesecakes and coconut bread pudding in honor of the birthday girls and pretty much had to be rolled out of there.

The French Quarter & Bourbon Street

Since I was in tourist-mode, Lydia said we should walk down Bourbon Street. I was...amazed. I saw a strip club next door to a strip club across the street from another strip club!! I have to wonder, is that really necessary?

I wanted to see a Voodoo shop. But I was too afraid to go inside. (I saw The Princess and the Frog, I know what can happen!!)

I had two objectives in the French Quarter: pralines and beignets.

After sitting on the waterfront for a while, listening to middle school-aged kids playing music on their trumpets and trombones, we wandered into Jackson Square. I wanted to buy a Christmas Ornament to commemorate the trip but couldn't find one I liked. So I got my palm read instead! Patricia, "Psychic of the Stars" did my reading.

Apparently I have a very long life line, a strong love line, good health, will have success in goals that I set over the next 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year and will have two children. Patricia, "Psychic of the Stars" asked if had any question but I'd gotten really distracted because the guy in the tent beside us started playing this Harry Chapin song that I love so I looked to Anna for suggestions. Anna asked if I was going to publish a book. Patricia, "Psychic of the Stars" looked at my palm (because that's where the answers are) and said that I would publish a book in 6 months. I think she must've meant that I would sell a book in 6 months because the whole publishing process takes about 2 years.

A trip to Cafe Du Monde for Beignets!!

So yummy! While eating we were serenaded by another brass band.

Magazine Street

After another stroll down Bourbon (at night the scary people come out), escaping our stalker, a streetcar ride and making funny faces with the little boy sitting across from me we had a final dinner for the birthday girls! We sat outside and enjoyed more live music--this time bongo drums and a keyboard. Not quite as fun as the brass band, but still better than no live music at all.

A fun trip, I'm definitely looking forward to a return visit!

*I had Arlo Guthrie's cover of this song running through my head all weekend long, hence the title of this post.

**I've always wondered why live oaks are called live oaks rather than just oaks. This weekend, thanks to Kate, I learned the answer: A live oak is a different species of tree than a regular oak. A live oak is in the evergreen family and is called "live" because it is green in winter while the regular oak is dormant in winter. (Cue "The More You Know" theme music.)

I Don't Like Mondays

Long time no post! The last few weeks have been a bit busier then usual. The new job is going reasonably well, my parents came to visit and helped us do some serious house-work (taking down wallpaper, drywall repair, fixing settling cracks, etc.) and we took a Labor-Day-weekend trip to Lake Oconee which resulted in some much-needed down-time for Adam and lot's of playing with the nieces for me. I'll post some before and after pictures of our renovated bathroom later this week, it's not quite done yet but it already looks a LOT better.

Today was one of those mornings where I woke up and desperately didn't want to go to work. I feel incredibly silly saying this, I mean, come on--I work 4 hours!! It's like a paper-route!--but all I wanted was to keep the shades tightly drawn and pull the covers up over my head. It's tough to get into a Monday-frame-of-mind on most Mondays but today was especially tough because I'd had a really nice weekend. Lorene and Brett came to visit and we had a fantastic time together. Pizza at Bocci, brunch, walking the Tobacco Trail, watching Hot Tub Time Machine (which was surprisingly good) and dinner and live music in Raleigh...I wish they still lived in Durham. Sunday was spent the way most Sundays are during football season, at least when Adam's not working: Adam watching football on one couch, me reading on the other couch, the two of us talking during half-time. The only pall on the day was the Bengals loss (but I would think Adam would be used to that by now!!).

The leaves are beginning to change and fall has finally started to creep in on the everlasting summer here in NC. It seems like each time I step outside my door I can see a little bit more of fall and a little bit less of summer. Last week I met Erin for the first hot chocolate of the season. Now I'm looking forward to watching the leaves change on campus again.

Chapel of Love

Our friends Beth and Akshay got married this past weekend (on my birthday to be exact) and the whole Walnut Hills gang + significant-others came back to Cincinnati to celebrate. This was the second Adam's-high-school-friend-wedding of the summer and since we're all so far-flung now it's been really nice to get to see each other without so much time in between visits. The ceremony and reception were really beautiful, held at the French House and French Park in Cincinnati. There were some weather-related issues to deal with but everything came off beautifully and we all had SUCH a good time! Beth and Akshay tried to combine their respective family and cultural traditions and the result was lovely and very "them." My favorite part was that for dinner they had an Indian station, a pasta station and a "Fun Fusion" station. (The Indian station was easily the tastiest.)

Adam had to work on Friday and was taking his boards on Monday so we drove from NC to Cincinnati Friday after work, got in late Friday night, spent Saturday hanging out and bowling with friends, attended the wedding that night and then drove back to NC on Sunday. Adam's parents made me a birthday brunch on Sunday morning complete with candles in the french toast and both of them singing "Happy Birthday." It was very thoughtful (and delicious) and I appreciated it!

It was a really busy weekend but we managed to cram family, friends, Skyline and Graeters all into less than three days...it was impressive. On the drive home I quizzed Adam for the boards (when I wasn't sleeping). I hope the next time we get to see all these friends it won't be quite so rushed!

From left: Alison & Elliot (whose wedding in Atlanta we attended back in June), Adam & I, Jacob and Ben.

The happy couple! This was actually Beth & Akshay's second wedding, they got married in a ceremony in India last month. The pictures were gorgeous!

My favorite photo of the night except that we're missing Paige!!

Special thanks to Alison for the pictures as my camera stayed in Adam's pocket all night!

With a Little Help From My Friends

Sarah & Eric came to visit!!

While at Southpoint we stopped for coffee, gelato and the biggest biscotti I've ever seen. Seriously it was the size of my head. I wanted somebody to hold the biscotti up to demonstrate that it's the size of a head. This was the result.

We went to dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse because Eric is "de Espana." (And because I'm geographically challenged.) Eric and I got meat-drunk.

Winding down the night with the obligatory stop at our favorite wine bar. Who is that man passed out next to us? Is it Jesus? Mr. Bojangles?? Nope. It's Adam, trying not to be photographed.

I miss you guys!!!