Christmas Blessings
How fortunate am I to be alive on this day. Sauntering through the French Quarter after an amazing meal with even more amazing people, I started to cry. Now, I am not a weepy person as a rule, but tonight, in this very spot, my heart is filled with so much love that it leaked out my eyes.
James is an "Accidental Cajun" who I had the good fortune if stumbling across on Twitter. I've followed him for a few months and we would occasionally toss a tweet back and forth. When I arrived in New Orleans in Friday he met me at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop for a drink. We talked about everything and nothing - passing the time and enjoying a brew. He was kind and gracious enough to invite me for dinner on Christmas Day. So blessed!
Jack is another twitter contact. We are both visiting the Crescent City from places afar - he is here from West Virginia. His love of this city and its music may just outreach my own and that's saying a lot. With a few foiled plans we finally met up at Pirate Alley Cafe and put away several adult beverages and talked the better part of 4 hours away. Having adequately assaulted our livers, we ambled into the beautiful St Louis Cathedral to sing a few carols; exiting promptly when the topic turned to "modesty". Neither of us are practicing any organized faith and I figured we were hedging out bets staying as long as we did. The cathedral intact - our heathenism did not crumble the walls.
Jack and I headed to one of my favorite streets on the planet - Frenchman Street. We spent some time at The Spotted Cat Music Club tapping our toes and drinking a bit more. Jack's traveling companion, David, a former student and incredibly charming young man (ugh - I'm getting old) joined us and after a few more sets at The Spotted Cat we went to check out Mimi's in the Marigny.
I will pause here for a moment to tell you how much I would delight in this being my every day life. I have never been in a city, with perhaps the exception of Toronto, where I have ever felt so alive and completely myself. Living in Michigan, I always feel like I have to live up to someone else's expectation of who I am and how I should act. I am very quiet, introverted, and do what is expected of me in Michigan. I have spoken to more people here in New Orleans in the last 5 days than I have in Michigan this entire year. I chatted up a couple from Wisconsin. We talked about suicide in the military. I talked (somewhat) to a group of five 30 something's from Brazil. We danced and drank and they kissed me as they left. I talked with "Irish" at the bar and the adorably counter guy at The Clover Grill. Countless people said "Merry Christmas" to me and I took up the torch and started saying it first. I would never remove that protective bubble that I live in at home. I would never have sat just people watching if I were in Michigan. I would be home watching an infinite supply of Law and Order reruns or curled up on the couch with a blanket, a book, and a fur kid or two.
This may be a huge part of me wanting to move to New Orleans. I love the ability to not be lonely and still be alone. I have gone from one relationship to another in my life and now that I am intentionally taking a break from that I find that my isolation is even greater. Time to take the lessons of New Orleans home with me.
Back to my trip - Mimi's was more music and more booze. It was Christmas Eve so the crowd was tame but I imagine it being a great space to hear music. I will be back. Jack friended the Accidental Cajun and was also invited for Christmas Dinner. Tonight was that dinner. James and his delightful wife, Rylene, we very loving hosts. James said dinner would be at 3pm - being the prompt northerners, we showed up at 3:05pm. Good natured ribbing ensued because we were early having not learned New Orleans time.
The food was indescribably delicious! Boudin stuffed turkey, ham, lasagna, Brussel sprouts, greens, Au gratin potatoes, and a jambalaya that will live forever as one of my favorite dishes of all time! The food was awesome, but the love and acceptance of these "Misfit Toys" by James and Rylene and all their friends was what made my heart swell.
I'm back in my condo (Pam's condo - but she makes a point if telling me its my place too) listening to the rain storm outside, trying to blog on my iPhone and debating what this evenings events will be. I may just kick back and relax - or I may go search for music on my last night in the city. All I know is this Christmas has blessed me with many things. Beautiful people, unparalleled music, food the likes of which I have never seen before but most importantly a new perspective on me and my interaction with my fellow planet travelers. I declare now, at this moment, to try to feel this blessed every day. I will try to put myself out there a little more, open up and be accepting of greatness.
I love my home for the people I have in my life. Kristina and Joe are my best friends and care for me as family. My son is my world and is my reason for all I do. With these few exceptions, I don't let others in. My Christmas Blessing this year is the realization that I can (and should) let others in. Be it for a 10 minute conversation, and afternoon of drunken debachery or for the breaking of bread. There are others out there and if I open up a bit I may share a minute, hour, day, lifetime of smiles.
My shell has cracked this Christmas Day...
James is an "Accidental Cajun" who I had the good fortune if stumbling across on Twitter. I've followed him for a few months and we would occasionally toss a tweet back and forth. When I arrived in New Orleans in Friday he met me at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop for a drink. We talked about everything and nothing - passing the time and enjoying a brew. He was kind and gracious enough to invite me for dinner on Christmas Day. So blessed!
Jack is another twitter contact. We are both visiting the Crescent City from places afar - he is here from West Virginia. His love of this city and its music may just outreach my own and that's saying a lot. With a few foiled plans we finally met up at Pirate Alley Cafe and put away several adult beverages and talked the better part of 4 hours away. Having adequately assaulted our livers, we ambled into the beautiful St Louis Cathedral to sing a few carols; exiting promptly when the topic turned to "modesty". Neither of us are practicing any organized faith and I figured we were hedging out bets staying as long as we did. The cathedral intact - our heathenism did not crumble the walls.
Jack and I headed to one of my favorite streets on the planet - Frenchman Street. We spent some time at The Spotted Cat Music Club tapping our toes and drinking a bit more. Jack's traveling companion, David, a former student and incredibly charming young man (ugh - I'm getting old) joined us and after a few more sets at The Spotted Cat we went to check out Mimi's in the Marigny.
I will pause here for a moment to tell you how much I would delight in this being my every day life. I have never been in a city, with perhaps the exception of Toronto, where I have ever felt so alive and completely myself. Living in Michigan, I always feel like I have to live up to someone else's expectation of who I am and how I should act. I am very quiet, introverted, and do what is expected of me in Michigan. I have spoken to more people here in New Orleans in the last 5 days than I have in Michigan this entire year. I chatted up a couple from Wisconsin. We talked about suicide in the military. I talked (somewhat) to a group of five 30 something's from Brazil. We danced and drank and they kissed me as they left. I talked with "Irish" at the bar and the adorably counter guy at The Clover Grill. Countless people said "Merry Christmas" to me and I took up the torch and started saying it first. I would never remove that protective bubble that I live in at home. I would never have sat just people watching if I were in Michigan. I would be home watching an infinite supply of Law and Order reruns or curled up on the couch with a blanket, a book, and a fur kid or two.
This may be a huge part of me wanting to move to New Orleans. I love the ability to not be lonely and still be alone. I have gone from one relationship to another in my life and now that I am intentionally taking a break from that I find that my isolation is even greater. Time to take the lessons of New Orleans home with me.
Back to my trip - Mimi's was more music and more booze. It was Christmas Eve so the crowd was tame but I imagine it being a great space to hear music. I will be back. Jack friended the Accidental Cajun and was also invited for Christmas Dinner. Tonight was that dinner. James and his delightful wife, Rylene, we very loving hosts. James said dinner would be at 3pm - being the prompt northerners, we showed up at 3:05pm. Good natured ribbing ensued because we were early having not learned New Orleans time.
The food was indescribably delicious! Boudin stuffed turkey, ham, lasagna, Brussel sprouts, greens, Au gratin potatoes, and a jambalaya that will live forever as one of my favorite dishes of all time! The food was awesome, but the love and acceptance of these "Misfit Toys" by James and Rylene and all their friends was what made my heart swell.
I'm back in my condo (Pam's condo - but she makes a point if telling me its my place too) listening to the rain storm outside, trying to blog on my iPhone and debating what this evenings events will be. I may just kick back and relax - or I may go search for music on my last night in the city. All I know is this Christmas has blessed me with many things. Beautiful people, unparalleled music, food the likes of which I have never seen before but most importantly a new perspective on me and my interaction with my fellow planet travelers. I declare now, at this moment, to try to feel this blessed every day. I will try to put myself out there a little more, open up and be accepting of greatness.
I love my home for the people I have in my life. Kristina and Joe are my best friends and care for me as family. My son is my world and is my reason for all I do. With these few exceptions, I don't let others in. My Christmas Blessing this year is the realization that I can (and should) let others in. Be it for a 10 minute conversation, and afternoon of drunken debachery or for the breaking of bread. There are others out there and if I open up a bit I may share a minute, hour, day, lifetime of smiles.
My shell has cracked this Christmas Day...
posted by Angela | 20:07
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