Happy birthday to meee, happy birthday to meeeee!  Happy birthday dear BLOOOOOG, haapppy birthday to meeeee!

When 2012 rolled into 2013, we were standing by the Mississippi River in the French Quarter, watching fireworks in a madly-pressed crowd.  My one and only resolution for the year was made:  to write more.  Given that we are now 19 days into the new year and I have written nary a word should disappoint me, but it amuses me instead.  I love irony.  Really, though, it was probably fate of sorts that I should finally hop in here and see a Happy Anniversary post from WordPress, noting the fact that I registered here and began this blog one year ago.  So, there we go.

2012 was a crazy-ass year.  J and I ended our lives as we knew them last March and set off on a wild ride that, while still going, has come to a more secure crawl.  For the most part.  It is, at least, drawing ever more near the life that we envisioned for ourselves.  In baby steps, one phase at a time.

At the very beginning of December, I got a call out of the blue from a staffing agent that I had signed up with last spring.  Ever done a first interview with someone over breakfast?  That was horrifying!  But yielded much good.  Fast forward to now, where I have been working for an amazing company as a temp for a little over a month and am now in the middle of the actual hiring process.  SO EXCITED and happy.  Since everything has yet to be completely set in stone and has also not yet been announced, that is all I will say for now.  But yes, wayward Sooz is once again respectfully employed after 9 months of floating adrift.  J had an interview earlier this past week and we will hopefully hear something in the days to come.  Crossing fingers for that.  Once we’re both set up and established, we can move forward into independence.  And into the city.  While Lake Ponchartrain is beautiful and never looks the same twice due to the shiftings of light, the commute across her Causeway has lost its flair.  Gasp pant gas tolls rain fog!

So I work in the CBD, which was the ultimate dream although I wasn’t going to be picky.  I love it that I can go to the Roosevelt hotel for lunch with a coworker.  Drive past the Superdome on the way home.  Hear the TBC Brass Band fire up over on Canal if I’m leaving that late.  Meet J in the Quarter after enjoying a nice 30-minute walk from the office to the Marigny.  I can’t wait to live right in the middle of all the things our fair city has to offer.  There is just so much to see and do and experience.  Even little things, like spotting an ornate cathedral in the middle of a bunch of skyscrapers.  I’ll be establishing a lunch-break routine soon, whereupon I can resume my wanderings and photographings.

Things don’t feel real half the time.  Especially right now, in the middle of Carnival season.  King Cake in the office every Friday.  Eyeballing parade schedules not only to pick which ones we wanna see and when, but also to determine when I will be getting stuck in traffic.  The sound of my own voice when I catch myself saying something in an accent that I heretofore did not have.  Giggling at coworkers who came in late because a bunch of floats were being transported down Poydras and they got stuck behind them.  Just these little nuances that I can’t even think of to share right now…they’re just these everyday things that happen to remind me of just where it is that I finally am.  Whereupon I do a brief little happy dance and then go about my business.  I don’t think I will ever take this place for granted.  I worked too hard to get here.

This was a quick-un.  I have lunch to consume and attire to don.  We are heading into the city to spend the day in the Quarter.  I am on a mission for a Cat Mask for MG Day and a few hoodoo supplies.  And then we’ll be in attendance when Krewe du Vieux winds their way through my most favorite narrow little streets in the world.

I’ll be back sooner than I have been.  Got a resolution to keep after all, and way way WAY too much to share.  In the back of my head, I knew FYC’s blogiversary was coming up.  J and I made a pilgrimage a few weeks ago to the place that someone went, who brought something back, that started it all.  Until then…

Got some boogyin’ to do.

Featured Image: J and I getting creative at Pat O’s again.