9:25 pm
I can laugh about it now but only after I cried about it. Today my husband and I went out for brunch with my dear High School friend Cheryl and her boyfriend Mike, who I was meeting for the first time. On the car ride to the restaurant, we asked Cheryl and Mike about their New Year’s Eve. They told us happily how they went out to dinner, and then found a cute Tappas place to ring in the New Year. Courteously, they asked us what we did for New Years. I could have said, had a nice dinner with family or any number of cute things that happened that night, but I said “We got into a fight, I cried, Yura went to sleep, I stayed up to watch the ball drop on TV.” Then Yura happily added, “Yeah, We said Happy New Years and slammed the door, then slept in different beds.” That is what happened, and its much funnier then the reply of dinner the family, at least Cheryl and Mike thought so. What’s even better, somehow making a joke of it and not holding on to the shame of the incident, cleared it away. No ONE wants to admit that during the crucial transition from one year to the next, they were not blissfully holding their loved one counting their blessings but crying in bed thinking of an escape route while writing angrily in their journal all the things that they didn’t get to say. Isn’t it like a curse for the rest of the year?
Today we woke up with a new perspective of our selves, our relationship and each other. Sometimes a good fight is better than a good New Years Kiss.
Still in silent treatment this morning, I was doing my dance routine with a touch of anger of the previous evening. Yura went out with Isaiah. I heard them come back, I heard some quiet shuffling and then Isaiah came out with a silver balloon tied to his hand, it said “Good Luck.” He was unaware of being the message carrier. I laughed to myself but I couldn’t break my hurt image just yet. Good luck was better than I Love You at that moment. Yura was making a joke, “Good luck being my wife this year.”
As a child I remember thinking it. I don’t worry too much about the future because Luck feels like it’s on my side. My friend Marina would make jokes about my luck in college. She would always tell people stories, if there was a club to get into, I would get us in. My theory is that through a series of unexpected, yet wonderful events, we will get in and live to tell about it. I almost prefer for the challenge because the event is sweeter that way.
My new beautiful Auntie-in-law recently told me that she wanted to go to a Cirque De Soleil show but it was sold out. I said, just go and you will get tickets somehow. She said that she likes to plan things like that. I gave a subtle effort to convince her, but I didn’t want to go full throttle, it’s a bad habit I want to break and this is still my new family. Then I thought deeper about it. Why would I do that? It’s so uncivilized. Why wouldn’t I just wait patiently for a show where I can buy tickets. Why risk my night and possibly fail? Then I realized just how much I rely on my luck. When I think about it, the risk of failing is zero. Even if on paper I fail and not get tickets, I know that the adventure of going will set the night on fire. The risk has been taken. At worst, I took a risk. At best, I saw the Show and acquired an interesting story. Maybe that is why I think I have good luck, either way, I win.
My friend Jamie-boy who I met on J-Date BH (Before Husband), after a few dates became my very platonic but flirty friend. I call him Jamie-boy because I have a Jamie-girl in my life who is a key player and will be making more appearances here. One night his friend from Canada was in town. They were very excited that they had tickets to a sold out Phish show. It was the main reason he came to visit from Canada. Not only a sold out Phish show, but rumors had it that it would be the last Phish show that Phish would ever perform. It was in Coney Island which was about an hour and a half on the subway from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where I lived at the time. I was never a Phish fan but I knew some dire Phish fans and I liked them. I was curious about this show. I heard lots of fun stories from those fans about Phish shows. I decided to go. Jamie-boy said, “You should come but what will you do if you don’t get in?” (there was fear in his eyes) I don’t remember what I said but I am sure it was something cocky like, “I don’t know so I will have to get in.”
Sometimes I get scared to advertise my good luck, like I am doing in this blog. I am not doing it to brag, just the opposite. I think everyone can untap their luck potential so consider this my encouragement. There is a saying “Don’t test your luck.” I think it makes sense when applied to driving drunk but I don’t think it applies to things like this. I try to test my luck at every opportunity that presents itself.
We got off the subway in Coney Island and right away there were scalpers everywhere. EVERYWHERE. They were shouting $40 for tickets, $20 for tickets, whatever. Jamie-boy read before coming that most of them are selling fake tickets because this was a way to make a quick buck on such an advertised event. This show attracted people from all necks of the woods, hungry for a good Phish show.
I had a plan. I bought a $20 ticket. I knew there was a strong chance it was fake but after assessing the situation, it was my only option. We got in line for the gate and I did a trick my mom always taught me. Look for a nice face. Nine out of ten times you can tell the evil clerk from the good. You can tell the nice DMV employee from the one who will give you a hard time about not having the right forms of id. Anyway, I found a face and got in that line. My ticket didn’t scan. I confessed, ” I bought this ticket from a scalper just outside.” Tell the truth. Luck does not like lies. Tell the truth at all costs (that is my rule). He smiled a warm smile that I still remember and waved me in. He also told me to have fun. I saw Phish in Concert in Coney Island and have a shirt to prove it. It was a fun show. I am still not a Phish fan.
I have a lot of stories like this. I also probably have stories where luck did not work for me, but I don’t remember them. See, its win win.
People often drink to and wish health and luck, especially on New Years. I was wished Good luck this year by my morning balloon. Its obvious when I have health, but how can I know if I have luck this year? I have to keep testing.
10:55 pm
Olia Rights 