Overserved in the Big Easy
The Big Easy was a lesson on happiness. Happiness is a choice and laughter is a must!
My reality was that of being forced to do several jobs outside of my job description. I was made to do some of my boss's job when she "didn't feel like it" and if I complained, I would be reprimanded and unfairly issued a write up. We were denied office supplies even though there was an abundance in a locked cabinet. We were literally treated like prisoners or modern-day slaves. Slaves for a paycheck. One manager told me, "You aren't doing your job until everyone hates you." ::Looks around for someone to agree:: Crickets! Massa' messed up when she approved our leave requests because New Orleans was a time to be had.
The Big Easy was serving up all types of goodness mixed with a little gumbo and libations in the form of Hurricanes and Hand Grenades. It was the much needed vacation for me and some of my coworkers. ::In my best Oprah voice:: All our lives we had to fight for those vacation days. Of course, the first night it was mandatory that we hit Bourbon Street for an adventure or two. Po' Boys and Hand Grenades were required to get in the vacation mood. We worked the same day that we flew into Nola, so again, it was mandatory.
We took several guided tours while we were there. As a returning visitor, I had already experienced the above ground burials and cemetery tours; however, I was being a team player when I agreed to the cemetery and voodoo tour. It was so hot in the cemetery that my lotion was sweating off and my back was drenched. I stopped listening to the tour and for the first time ever, I started searching for shade. The temperature was a bit much but we had fun because we chose to be positive about the experience. No negative Nancys or Nathans allowed! If you can't laugh at yourself or laugh WITH other people, you need to reevaluate some things. Let me give you an example, my coworker was headed to the CVS and asked if I wanted anything. I nonchalantly asked for Rap Snacks expecting him to reply with a, "girl bye." Now, if you are familiar with the inventory at your local corner store, then you will know that Rap Snacks fell off the shelves somewhere in the 9-9 and the 2000 (at least in Maryland they did). When he returned, he was so concerned that he couldn't fulfill my request. LOL! Sorry “Mar Mar” but you are loyal for searching for me! He could've easily gotten upset for wasting his time but he laughed with me. So again, if you can't laugh, you need a chill pill.....or get a good 190 Octane. Speaking of, no drinking and [walking] with that thing. It's death in a tube.
We also took a tour of Mardi Gras World where we learned the history of the holiday and created our own Mardi Gras masks. Another tour consisted of a trip to Old Point Bar which was featured in movies like Green Lantern and Ray. The best tour was trotting through the French Quarter on a mule. We got a history lesson on the architecture but I was more excited to sit for the 30 minutes. For a sugary fix, we visited Café du Monde for a beignet or two. By nightfall, we were having more Hurricanes at a cute little café until I saw a roach crawl across the ground….whoop time to go! Uber please!
Speaking of Ubers, the uber drivers in Nola need some work. We called for an Uber one day and the driver told us that she had arrived in a red Camry Solara :: I scratched my head on that one but apparently it's a real thing::. There were four of us and we started walking to the corner where she told us to meet her, only to see that she had a coupe with a passenger already in the car……come on!!!! She saw us and sped off in her little "Camry Solara" :: Skrt Skrt:: Strike 1. Uber strike 2 had a real bullet (not the sticker) lodged in her windshield. Ding! This is my stop. I'm not here for the shenanigans.
One of our tour guides said that folks in New Orleans never get drunk. When one has had too many drinks, they consider themselves "overserved". I can see how that occurs. Maybe that explains the shenanigans that occurs. There was a man on the corner of Bourbon with a baby goat and then there was another guy who taught his dog to play dead/overserved. The Big Easy has character and culture and everyone (all the tourists at least) are filled with excitement and cheer. At the end of my trip, I was sick but I wished that I could experience that type of overserved happiness everyday. Then I realized that I can.....happiness is a choice, make it yours!
#Travel #FindingYourself #NewOrleans #Louisiana #WhereIsJessP #WhereintheWorldIsJessP