Fucking Bama.
However pissed I am to finish third instead of first today’s title refers to the fact that I’ll be posting the final five “secrets” of happy people.
Five Of The One Hundred Simple Secrets Of Happy People
I am currently, and deliberately slowly, reading a super-easy read called The 100 Simple Secrets Of Happy People. Each morning I read three of these “secrets.” (Remember when I mentioned exercising my mind?)
Here are five “secrets” on which you can ponder
- Say “So what.”
- Have a purpose. [and name it “Flipper.”]
- You have not finished the best part of your life. [Really? I might beg to differ.]
- Money does not buy happiness. [But it sure beats being broke.]
- What does it all mean? You Decide. [The answer is always 42]
You may find this hard to believe, but I’m trying to live my life under the concept that it’s the only one I’ll ever have so I better enjoy it.
ITP Flickr Pic
Our Winter Wonderland was more Winter than Wonderland so no photos were taken.
So Ba Is Much Better Than So So
I met up with ITP-Reader Betsy last night for a little East Atlanta “Vietnamese” food before helping her set up a few things on her PC. So Ba is in the space which was formerly occupied by one of my old East Atlanta favorites La Casita Cantina, who occupied that space after Pasta Thyme had a short run there.
I arrived at 6:30pm to an empty restaurant. Because the restaurant had only opened about six weeks ago I feared that the food was so bad that no one was returning. I’m happy to say that I was wrong. As Betsy and I sat there deciding what to eat and having our bottle of Trader Joe’s wine opened (So Ba has yet to acquire a liquor license so it’s BYOB) young, hipster couples started to fill the space.
Betsy and I split an appetizer order of salt-and-pepper tofu (it was delicious!) and I ordered a broken-rice short-rib dish which was also incredibly tasty. Perhaps my only complaint with the menu is that the prices are higher than their counterparts along Buford Highway.
The only snafu with the night was with the bill. Betsy and I split the bill down the middle and upon trying to figure out what I was going to tip I realized that she got charged for half of the bill and I got charged for the entire bill. I called our waiter over who rightly apologized, and because they’ve yet to master their credit card billing we agreed that I’d get half of my money back in cash. I’m okay with this since it was almost like getting a small cash advance for no fee.
I shall return to So Ba, but probably only when the hankering for Vietnamese strikes me at home as I think that the food produced along Buford Highway is better for the prices charged.
The Only White I Want To See This Weekend Is A White Elephant
Tomorrow I’m hosting a white elephant gift exchange (note to self: clean the house!). The temperatures will be frigid, but the heat works so I’m hoping that all goes off without a hitch.
What will I regift? Only time will tell…
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – okay, glad I made it to work safely, wish I didn’t have to deal with the problems in my life but I’m sure everyone feels that way
Current Music – listening to the “Tips From The Top Floor” photography podcast
Website Of The Day – By now you probably don’t need to know How To Drive On Black Ice, but extra knowledge can’t hurt.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – 199 pounds
Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Pushups – 0, Situps – 0
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 5 (5)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 6
Marta Rides – 0
January Goals
– Not get fired from my job
2010 Goals
– Reduce my weight to 185 pounds (starting weight was 198 pounds)
– Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
РEarn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalape̱o Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Attend at least one professional photography workshop
– Enter no fewer than three photographic competitions / gallery showings
– Get the Black Sheep stats out of Excel and online
– Ride in no fewer than two 50 mile or 50K bike rides
The Unmeasurable
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Become a proficient programmer in PHP and CSS
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
Korean?? Vietnamese…or am I missing some inside joke.
Jerry and I have been going about once a week, most times getting the pho but once I got some grilled pork and noodles. I guess the pho is about $1 more than the place on Jonesboro Road, totally worth it to not drive down there.
I think Jerry and I are going to swing by tomorrow night, doubt we will participate in the gift exchange, I don’t feel like putting the effort in to shopping for a ‘gag’ gift.
However, I will bring with me one scanner and one wetsuit…you and Stacy can figure out who gets what.
Kind of an inside joke, but I’m correcting it to avoid further confusion.
Cool. I’ll trade you one Cheddarhead beer for one scanner. 🙂
I’ve got my 2 gifts wrapped………& again I have found 2 actual re-gifts (I like to do this the original idea way, without spending any money.)
SO WHAT – I think that is the best secret so far. I’ve been a firm beliver in that, so many people put too much meaning into things tht they shouldn’t.
I ‘heard’ So Ba will be getting the liquor license in early Feb? Not sure where I heard it but I did so it must be true.
Scanner is hidden in the car, so remind me to get it if I don’t walk in with it on Saturday.
I don’t get a lot of gifts, what I did get this year I liked, so I don’t really have anything to re-gift. I think I got more presents this year than I have in a LONG time, thanks to the Abiog clan.
Right with you Barb. So what, things are almost never as big of a deal as people think.
Oh, we ate at Tin Lizzy’s for the first time yesterday, we had the salad, it was pretty good. I think we can add it to the rotation.
The Tide played well. I missed the Texas QB getting sacked out of the game- unfortunate. The 300 lb. defensive end making the interception and touchdown was priceless.
Glad to not need to be driving anywhere today. Good day to clean house.
-FP
I like restaurants with no liqour license, it saves us money, as we always have beverages at the house to bring with us.
Laura – 1 of the 2 gifts wasn’t exactly a “gift” – just something or things that seem to appear at my house that I’m not sure why or where they came from. The other was from the office gift exchange. The only gifts I got were things I wanted & knew about (Wii, clothes that I bought myself, & the Roomba from the in-laws — best gift ever as I hate to clean!)
Wish I were still at home. The house needs to be cleaned, but more than that I can’t afford to squander and paid-time-off this year.
I asked about a liquor license last night and the waiter said something along the lines of “some day.”
Tin Lizzy is okay, but nothing for me to get overly-excited about.
I am a little sad that I did not read this until Sat. night after Monster Truck with Bob. I had a gift that I have no need for, but someone else may have. Shower Curtain Rings. With all of my family being in China for Christmas, I didn’t get much for gifts.
I have eaten at Tin Lizzys once, but was not all that impressed. I am willing to check out the new place you mentioned in the near future.