Playing Catch Up

I am a little behind on my blogging, so let's go back to the first week of May and play catch up. I was in New Orleans the first week of May for my annual accounting marketing conference. The first thing I learned is that standards change as you get older. I know that has nothing to do with accounting marketing, but it's still something I learned while there. When I first found out the conference was in New Orleans I was pretty excited. The last time I was there was when I was 21 years old...seems like yesterday. I had a blast! I loved the city and couldn't wait to go back. Well, it's 15 years later and I made it back to find out that my taste in activities have drastically changed. This city is dirty, smelly and overall not safe for a female. I was so grossed out by the smell that I started to question my 21 year old self. Did I really enjoy this back then? Was Bourbon Street much different back then? I started to think that maybe Katrina changed things or the city just completely stopped caring and started to accept it's dirty self at some point in the last 15 years. I did ask a friend of mine who was also at the conference, who is also a local. She said, nope, nothings changed. This is New Orleans...you have just gotten older. Really? When? That's when I really started to think about how I changed and partying in an old bar, in a dirty city, on a very dirty unsafe street is just not my thing anymore. I kind of sound like a snob, but dirty and smelly is just not fun to me.

While I was there I did miss Andy and Max a ton! Actually, a ton is an understatement. I didn't think Max would miss me that much because he is so into his daddy these days that he will tell me I can't bathe him or tuck him into bed because daddy has to do it. Ok, well, I headed off to New Orleans and Max could have 100% daddy time for 4 whole days. I was kidding myself, Max missed me a ton. So much that Ms. Marie asked me to send her a picture because Max was having a bummer of a day because he missed me so much.

We did FaceTime every night even though it was difficult with the time change and all my conference responsibilities, like heading out to Bourbon Street with a group of professional ladies as we all clutch our purses really tight and try not to pass out from the stench. Yup, that was fun!

Besides learning about accounting marketing and how my standards in life have dramatically progressed as I aged, I did have some fabulous food! The best thing I ever ate there was barbecue shrimp (aka barbecue soup as I liked to call it) at a restaurant called Mr. B's. The food was so amazing that it was almost a life changing event! It made up for the nasty city that I mentioned earlier.

I arrived back in Phoenix and brought a virus with me. It never fails that I get sick when I travel. It's awful to have such a week immune system like I have, but the best thing was to get home to see my family and crawl into bed to try and get healthy.