The Big Fun

A week ago A little over two weeks ago, I got back from 4 days in New Orleans with 12 women for my bachelorette. I’d had this idea that what would be the very most fun would be a weekend in a city I love, getting to hang out with many of my favorite folks all at once. And the weekend did not disappoint. Watching friends from different parts of my life enjoy each other and enjoy New Orleans was beyond heart-warming. There were a couple of games played with songs and stories contributed from friends who were there and who were not.  Erica had compiled the stories into this amazing photo book that I’ll treasure forever.

Before the trip, friends who were going and not going and Charlie asked what I wanted to do that weekend—and sitting in the sunshine at a bar in Algiers spending the afternoon talking and drinking beers was exactly that. As was giggling and ordering a second order of fried pickles just because we wanted it. As was sitting on the patio at night shooting the breeze. As was manically dancing to 50s songs late night at Mimi’s. Just chill and happy and easy-going and spontaneous. I got exactly what I wanted and I wasn’t worried about anything. All of the elements were there for the big fun and if you weren't having it it's because you're lame. Luckily no lame-os allowed. It was wonderful.

I was lying in bed Saturday night, when 3 am and the 3^rd night of fun had left me literally too dizzy to stay upright. And listening to the sounds of friends who had been strangers making their own memories, staying up all night.  And thinking this will be the feeling at the end of our wedding.  The big fun is ephemeral, you only get it once (or in this case twice if you can persuade a dozen amazing women to travel for the big fun) and then it's over and based on what I know about myself I will be trying very hard to enjoy the moment and the fact that it happened rather than be sad that it is over. Gah life, you're so wonderful and hard and hard in your wonderfulness.
I've thought this the last few friend get-togethers- how amazing my friends are in their accomplishments. And not just, like, they're all rich investment bankers and therefore "successful."  Because actually none of them are. But they are all truly kicking ass in their respective careers and fields. They are people I'm proud to know and proud of and the longer I've known them kind of take this strange credit in shaping their awesomeness as they've shaped mine. I was tempted to say something like whatever awesomeness I possess, but after drawing the awesome friends for the big fun, I have to somewhat acknowledge if I wasn't at least a little awesome, everyone would have stayed home.
And the friends were also this conglomeration of people committed to fun. Because people who don't sometimes get carried away and stay up too late and who don't think vacation is kind of for excess... well apparently those kinds of friends aren't the kind of friends who stick around. Or self-select for this kind of adventure.
A couple of weeks later, I think back to those days and living in this wonderful feeling like that world was giving back what I've been putting out in it. And that doesn't happen that often, but let me tell you, it feels great.
And I still have a souvenir upper respiratory infection.
Oh. And I got a tattoo.