Fancy Feast
I talked with Ceri last Sunday and the discussion revolved around the predictability of my life. This was before the news about losing my job, but the mantra she encouraged me to start living by still applies. It was, "Ellen, you've got to grab life by the balls." And I've been trying to live this way. It affects me in so many ways, "Do I want one cookie, or two? Two, of course." "Coffee right before bed? Why not?" "What am I going after I lose my job? Certainly not worry about getting another...I'm in graduate school!"
It was this new outlook that landed me in a bar after work with fellow co-workers, something I rarely do. It's not that I don't like hanging out with my co-workers it's the awkwardness I feel when I arrive at a function like this. A feeling that usually keeps me from getting out with people I hardly know. But if life was to be grabbed, I was taking a firm grip. And after a few drinks, my awkwardness was erased and the conversation was flowing. A conversation where I, quite by accident, stumbled upon the celebrant's fight with a group of lesbians where he almost got his ass kicked.
Since I am a supporter of homosexuality and because the conversation wasn't leaning in the positive direction toward homosexuals or their sympathizers, I didn't mention that I was leaving early to have dinner with Karen. We went to D'Leon's and I had what amounted to a burrito filled with cat food. The total price of dinner with tip equaled $6.66 when I commented on the number the woman working the counter she gracefully changed it to $6.68. That's right, go ahead and give yourself two extra cents in tip to save us all from the devil, I don't mind.
This week, in addition to buying my way out of hell's fire, I stayed in because it's been so cold reading a book called Jesus Land. It is one woman's coming of age story that includes a fundamentalists belief system and an adopted black brother. It followed another memoir I read last weekend of another girl's fundamentalist Christian childhood, an upbringing I can readily identify with. Although the main character of Jesus Land and I don't share many things in common, the story is so gripping that even if it wasn't cold I would have read the whole thing in one sitting. I'm learning to get over the oddities of my peculiar childhood, even going so far as to admit to going to Adventist schools 1st through 14th grades tonight to one of my co-workers. In response, he said he never would have guessed it, which I'm taking as a complement.
Here's to new adventures and to doing things I wouldn't normally do. So far, this new mantra seems to be working out for good, but I wish it was working out for evil.
It was this new outlook that landed me in a bar after work with fellow co-workers, something I rarely do. It's not that I don't like hanging out with my co-workers it's the awkwardness I feel when I arrive at a function like this. A feeling that usually keeps me from getting out with people I hardly know. But if life was to be grabbed, I was taking a firm grip. And after a few drinks, my awkwardness was erased and the conversation was flowing. A conversation where I, quite by accident, stumbled upon the celebrant's fight with a group of lesbians where he almost got his ass kicked.
Since I am a supporter of homosexuality and because the conversation wasn't leaning in the positive direction toward homosexuals or their sympathizers, I didn't mention that I was leaving early to have dinner with Karen. We went to D'Leon's and I had what amounted to a burrito filled with cat food. The total price of dinner with tip equaled $6.66 when I commented on the number the woman working the counter she gracefully changed it to $6.68. That's right, go ahead and give yourself two extra cents in tip to save us all from the devil, I don't mind.
This week, in addition to buying my way out of hell's fire, I stayed in because it's been so cold reading a book called Jesus Land. It is one woman's coming of age story that includes a fundamentalists belief system and an adopted black brother. It followed another memoir I read last weekend of another girl's fundamentalist Christian childhood, an upbringing I can readily identify with. Although the main character of Jesus Land and I don't share many things in common, the story is so gripping that even if it wasn't cold I would have read the whole thing in one sitting. I'm learning to get over the oddities of my peculiar childhood, even going so far as to admit to going to Adventist schools 1st through 14th grades tonight to one of my co-workers. In response, he said he never would have guessed it, which I'm taking as a complement.
Here's to new adventures and to doing things I wouldn't normally do. So far, this new mantra seems to be working out for good, but I wish it was working out for evil.
posted by Ellen at 7:05 PM
3 Comments:
Your new adventure is funny to me, especially if it was Thursday night. Before I was compelled to watch the Campion v. CVA basketball game, I was going to ask you if you wanted to have a beer (or two) with me. Who knew you were already imbibing?
Note to self... It's one thing to laugh out loud at your blog entries from the privacy of my own home--but it's kind of embarassing in a crowded cafe.
Ceri, try laughing out loud in an extremely quiet library study area. I always try to time my blog-checking to coincide with the moment with the most people studying possible. I'm just that kind of girl.
Ellen, the fundamentalist thing will haunt me forever, but especially since I've started including it in my research for my dissertation. I have about 4 books on Christian fundamentalists in my office right now. Very disturbing.
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