Something interesting happened to me this week....

Mardi Gras is kind of a big deal down here in Cajun Country.

I have a former coworker who is way bigger into Mardi Gras than I.

I found out that Hootie & the Blowfish is playing the "Endymion Extravaganza."

I won't go into the specifics of Mardi Gras, but this "EE" is a ritzy, black tie ball that celebrates that specific krewe.

Anyway, I emailed her to ask if there was a "black market" for something like this. I know that they are normally very expensive invitation only.

She said she didn't know anyone in that krewe, but she did have 10 tickets that she could give me for The Krewe of Bacchus Ball. Bacchus is one of the biggest krewes/parades of Mardi Gras!

And she offered to give them to me! These tickets are $125 a piece!

WOW!

So this week, I've been working to assemble a group of friends to go.

It's going to be a blast. Everybody gets "black tie" dressed up, great food, a chance to enjoy the parade, minus the riff raff folks pushing you around (which is what I hate most about Mardi Gras.) I'm stoked about this.

Here's the part I don't like. I've been doing just fine by myself for the past year. But this is one opportunity where I wouldn't mind having a lady friend to go with me.

But, alas, I don't.

And that kind of aggravates me. Here, I am, still in limbo (I know, I should have taken care of that already, but...) and it's the first time that I've been uncomfortable about this aspect of being by myself.

Is this OK?

Any suggestions?

Ethan,

How fun!

You have been living alone for a year, have filed for divorce, have done everything in your power to save your marriage...

I was reading somewhere that there are not any biblical references to a formal wedding ceremony. NONE. The act of sex was what made you married according to the bible. Sex with another bound you for life...THIS is the marriage ceremony. In the case of your spouse's infidelity you have God's blessing to terminate this bond. No formal ceremony for that either.

Ethan, find yourself a nice young lady and ask her to the ball.

You don't seem to be capable of deception or of hurting another. So I would not even worry about you starting a relationship with somebody when you were not ready, and running the possibility of hurting another.

Don't know if this was what you were asking about, but this is my thought...for what it is worth.

weaver

me me me me me...I wanna go! I lovvvvvvvvvvve New Orleans and have never been to Mardi Gras.

but alas, I'm still married so that wouldn't work. Have fun, ethan, and good luck with your group of peeps!

Hot diggity - are you serious? The King Cakes have started arriving at work (I'm in Houston and our LA folks send them over right and left), but unless you count Mardi Gras in Galvaston, their ain't much else.....

Brit's Brat - BS/43
XH - 45
DS - 3
Status: D-day 5/02, divorce final on 5/04 after 2 years of trying to recover marriage.

Blowfish?

I hear they taste like chicken.

Lady schmady - JL, 2long, and I will go with you and I'll bet you have more fun.

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="images/icons/cool.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="images/icons/cool.gif" />
WAT

Lady schmady - JL, 2long, and I will go with you and I'll bet you have more fun.

Oh Puleeze WAT.

Like your SO is really going to let you go to Mardi Gras without her.

Too funny! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

dbl

<small>[ January 27, 2005, 10:00 AM: Message edited by: graycloud ]</small>

Ethan, find a date and go. If you feel better making it a "friend" date, that's cool.

What about the girl from the record store? Been chatting her up at all?

GC

Hey FM,

Let the good times roll.....this sounds great...you deserve to enjoy life. FWH and I like Hootie....I gave him tickets for his birthday in August, but because he was fogged up....he refused to go...so the tickets went to waste. We missed out on having fun. I am glad that you will not do the same thing--go and have a good time...that's Fat Tuesday is all about. Watch out for those that will do anything to get beads.....yikes!

FM, let the good times rollllllllllll..... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

tfm
weaver is correct. go to 1 corinthians 7:15
it goes something like this.
"if those wo are not believers decide to leave , let them leave. when this happens, the christian man or woman is free."

New Orleans that is my W's favorite city in the world. We got married there for that very reason alone. St. Bernards parrish to be exact, think she was trying to tell me something??

We still talk about breakfast at Breenen's sp? and the beef wellington we had at Arnode's sp? Actually now that I think about it I could use a couple of Bignets right about now.


Enjoy yourself, as has been mentioned you've given your all.... go without guilt and live it up I say.

And of course always remember that IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE ALIVE!!!!!

Love to go Ethan, but I gotta shovel snow and chip ice off my sidewalk. Besides, I hear the ice fishing's a little dodgy down there.

Too bad, now that I'm 40 I could walk around with black socks in my sandals with nary a care.

Yeah Binder, and you can use words like "nary" now! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />

GC

You guys are awesome.

Of course, everybody here can come with me. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

And I suppose an evening of debacherie (sp?) with JL, WAT and 2long would be quite an adventure!

GC,
She's "out." As I got to know her better, she had some real Jekyll and Hyde tendencies. Methinks I've done my time with those two.

Weaver,
I guess that's kind of what I was getting at. I don't know. Quite honestly, I don't really know any single ladies. I haven't exactly spent time "getting to know" the singles scene.

So I guess that's what I was trying to express. Frustration that I'm getting to go somewhere really cool, where having a "date" would be nice...

And I don't.

And it's not exactly one of those things where I can walk up to somebody in a coffee shop, and say "Hey, nice to meet you. Do you wanna get really dressed up and go to a Mardi Gras Ball with me next weekend?"

I'm going to do my best to have a great time, and I don't think that'll be too hard to do. Just a hard time thinking a date wouldn't make it a smidge better.

I really do thank you guys for the nods of approval.

So I don't get to see Hootie, but I think Earth, Wind and Fire is the headliner for the ball I'm going to.

I also found the irony in a Hootie song today. We put a Hootie song on our wedding CD titled "What Do You Want From Me Now."

The chorus?
"Blow out the candles, turn out the lights....
Forget that feelin', that you've been feelin'
Deep inside of me, it'll be alright.
Sayin' what do you want from me now."

Funny how that worked out.

I'll be sure to take pictures!

Ethan