Before I get started, I just have to get real.
It happened and I can’t hide it from you. Nor do I want to be congratulated or pitied. But don’t be surprised if you find me in your local Starbucks, listening to the Smiths and giving the air that I’m better than everyone else. Because you just might.
The plus side is that I can finally get around to commenting on all your blogs again. Truce?
Even though I have a new computer, the last thing I want to do lately is sit at a computer after I get home from sitting at a computer all day. As you can tell, my creative pursuits – and this blog (what blog?) have suffered. But, this morning was Saturday. And it was warm and stormy and that’s my golden hour for writing.
The other day I saw a guy driving on the highway with Washington plates and “NY or BUST” written in the dust of his side panel. When passing him, it was obvious he had crammed every material possession he owned in that vehicle and headed off on what I’m guessing to be the pursuit of some sort of artistic dream. I say artistic not to underestimate the rest of you, but because we’re the only ones stupid enough to pack all our shit in a Ford Fiesta and relocate to one of the most expensive cities in the world in order to share a 400 sq foot, barely livable space with some Goth-ish stranger from Craigslist, while surviving off the $1 menu and care packages from mom because we’re determined to “make it.”
Whatever “making it” means. Half the time, I don’t even think we know what it means and we’re the ones trying to do it. But when we do make it, we’re definitely paying mom back.
As I passed the guy and contemplated how he was going to find room for that giant yellow bouncy ball in that tiny apartment, especially since Goth guy is going to have a crapload of black jeans and chains and stuff, my first thought was, “What an idiot.” Followed by, “Yea, I’d totally do that too if my mom wouldn’t disown me.”
I was a bit jealous in that moment. I almost gave him a thumbs up. But then I realized we’re in America and we don’t acknowledge people we don’t know. I was jealous for a lot of reasons. Because he’s starting over and he has no clue what it’s going to look like. Because he’s got guts that I could only pretend to have. Because he’s got a giant yellow bouncy ball. Because despite everyone telling him he is an idiot, he’d rather live uncomfortably then live with the regret of knowing he never gave it a shot.
I guess this isn’t your usual St. Patrick’s Day post. What’s the template for that anyway? A post about bad decisions and how the green beer didn’t go over so well the next morning? Yea, I suppose. Well, six years ago on St. Patrick’s Day, I woke up to an unseasonably warm day in London and stumbled down the hallway to my friends’ dorm room. We decided that given the weather and the pressing matters of drinking and wearing ridiculous hats, we should probably skip school and head to O’Connors. We also came to a similar conclusion on a lot of days that weren’t unseasonably warm or St. Patrick’s Day. Meh.
Subsequent St. Patrick’s Days just haven’t quite lived up.
I would show you pictures of myself, but I regret that I was too busy being a complete idiot and the only pictures I have of my European excursions were accidental or in front of some sort of monument or landmark. Three words: lame sauce.
That being said, Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
Of course, I have no idea why the guy in the car was actually headed to New York.
But I hope it had something to do with being an idiot.
I have returned to blogging over at Celery and the City where I write about clean eating, healthy living and post allergy and gluten free recipes!
So good to hear from you…well to see that you are alive. I was starting to wonder if there had been some gigantic space invasion and you had been taken as a sample because of your quality knowledge of barbie photography. :0)
I hope you get the chance to make bad choices today.
I am going to hang out with a friend and her three kids for game night…that is how you know you are old…there are more limited opportunities for any kind of bad choice for me.
Not lame ! Lame is that I haven’t been. Happy Patty’s
Please buy a giant yellow bouncy ball, please.
If you’re reading this, you’re all set, panedrr!
That’s a clever answer to a tricky question
I just want to know how Peppermint Patty became a saint and had a festival named after her.
All this idiot talk…
I got a bit concerned at first…
then I realized my bouncy ball is more of a taupe.
*it should be noted I… um… did not… just totally Google taupe to see what color it really is. Nice. Er, I mean, I SO already knew that.*
🙂
Wow. Uber lame for sure.
LolZZ I kid. Welcome back. Again. Or something? Whatever. I can never quit you.
PS A friend of mine is contemplating giving up the job she doesn’t really like a lot to work in coffee shops and really give blogging a go. I’ll tell her you said write “BLOG or bust” in the dirt and to buy a giant yellow bouncy ball.
Glad you got a computer again. I hope that guy in the crappy little car finds his dream, whatever it is. I think no matter how happy we are, we’re still all looking for something more. As we get older, it’s about reinventing ourselves and adapting. Not sure where this is going but obviously that’s what is on my mind.
You’re back (again)! Please don’t ever leave (again).
I love imagining people like this making choices for reasons that have something to do with being an idiot because it both comforts and motivates me to keep making the idiotic choices that I tend to make…
Hey look, you’re not dead. So there’s that. Cool.
My St. Patty’s Day involved taking my kids to see the Lorax, going to the park and ordering dinner from the local pasta joint. Yeah, I can’t say it lived up to yours, either. Your current one probably.
Yellow Bouncy Balls for all!! Live the dream!!
As Misty said, YOU’RE ALIVE! Welcome back. And Happy (belated) St. Patrick’s Day! And I don’t think those pictures were lame at all. It’s not a vacation or travel story unless you do a few monument poses (as I call them). Have a great weekend and don’t be a stranger!
i love lame you!
i am probably lamer, truth be told.
I had something else to say, but I got distracted by my kitten waging war against my stuffed pillow. Oh to be a kitten. Life seems a lot more fun.
i didn’t have a yellow ball. nor did i have a drivers licence, so i definitely didn’t pack up my car and head east. but i did say so long to where i grew up, took off to a province i’d never even visited before, and started a whole new life in a place i knew no one, which is a lot more isolated than people realize (getting off this rock is a seriously challenge sometimes. trust.)
Though, I had a pretty solid job waiting for me when I go here. So not quite as ballsy as you artsy types when you try to follow your dremas. but if a lame-oh medically inclined dork can do it, and ‘make it’, i bet buddy and his car will do all right. Bigger guts, bigger pay out?
also. june. squee.
Nothing says commitment to a cause like writing in dust with your finger.
I love your writing style! You are funny and engaging 🙂 As for your “lame” St Pattys day it seemed like it was far from lame. Looks like you had some fun!
Love this! And, I love that guy, too. I’m Nikki’s friend (that’s for the shout out!) and this post totally inspired me. Like your NY dude I might be *little* crazy (for even thinking it!) but sometimes that’s alright?!
I missed reading your blog, love to follow the travels and adventures of others. Maybe you bump into the yellow bouncy ball guy and who knows he might be one of them undercover millionaires…wouldnt that be a hoot. Hope London is treating you well…..zman sends
I’m just now reading your post, because i suck at finding things when they are actually posted, for a second I thought you were going to say “and I’m moving to new york”. And then I was going to say, yes please! We can go stalk people like Tina Fey, and become people who dress up like statues, the ones who force you to give them money if you smile at them. But alas, it’s a dream I’ll have to keep for a later date.
I’m glad you’re writing again, I was having to stalk you through old posts. Also, side note…all of my pictures from anywhere always end up being lame sauce ones that are perfectly posed in front of monuments, but that’s when I just tell people we were having too much fun to take pictures of the actual memories…and they call me a hipster, but I’m okay with that.
Andd, you do have guts. You have a lot more than you’re giving yourself credit for. But, if you need a bright yellow ball and a roommate with chains, I’m sure that is something we can find you off of craigslist, or in the parking lot of starbucks.
<3
I CAN’T BELIEVE I MISSED THIS POST AND THE FACT THAT YOU’RE BACK.
God, I’ve missed you. My life has been just a little darker.
i’m so happy you are back 🙂
missed you loads!
this topic has many layers, but it is cleverly glossed over with some humor and a sprinkle of sarcasm so we might not notice. But the metaphor is there for us all. Making it. Guts. Regret. However you’re strong and brilliantly creative. The roadblocks we see in our path let us develop skills to solve problems in our life. Brit, your star is shining ever so brightly and will continue as long as you feed it with the the thing you love – the source of your creativity. But wtf, what do I know? Between hot flashes and lapses of memory, I’m lucky to remember to feed the dogs. 🙂 much love, xoxo
Man, I wish I could transport back seven years, so that I knew you when you were here in London.
I’m pretty sure that’s how space travel and time continuums work.
Womp womp.
very interesting topic. i didn’t believe at first but later one I enjoy reading this blog!
I hope he makes it and not on ihatehipsters.com, home of newly transplanted New York hipsters LOL.
Happy belated St. Patrick’s day, those shots look good! You gotta do some posing in front of the tourist sites! 🙂
“But then I realized we’re in America and we don’t acknowledge people we don’t know…”
Oh, how I’ve missed you, B. (Working on my green card as we speak…)
Long time no see twinsie! I’m just now getting back to the blogging world as well 🙂 In any event, maybe that guy “made it” and is living a magical life of fame and fulfillment. But my $$ says he’s already back home living in his parent’s basement.
I can understand the green beer, but when did the donning of silly hats become a requirement? And that guy hanging out in the upper-right corner of that pics looks just a tad shady…
I’m doing something wrong. If you are back…where are you? Am I looking in the wrong place?
I was going through some older posts and found a comment by you and realized it’s been…oh…maybe two years since we’ve been reading each other, but you know, that went by in an instant! One day I was sitting here at the computer, and I suddenly looked away and realized I’d been staring into this screen without flinching for TWO WHOLE YEARS. Then when I saw your name again, I thought I’d better check and see if you’re still alive– only to see that you’ve been SLACKING on your blogging! Too damn funny and talented for that, girl… so may I gently suggest that you GIT YO BUTT BACK IN GEAR! And if you do, I promise to become a regular again.
Sounds like a deal to me.
Why did that come out as Anonymous? It’s me, Timoteo.