Louisiana Purchase and Expedition

I'm not quite getting the deal that Thomas Jefferson got back in the day (something like $20 per square mile, though that's more like $300 per square mile, still a great deal). But, I bought my little bit of homestead here in New Orleans. So, I'm a landowner. And I've made multiple trips to Lowe's and Wal-Mart to buy things like storage racks and towel rings. In the next few days, I'm going to build some shelving above my washer and dryer. I've been installing ceiling fans, range hoods, and the like. I just hired a pest control service. I'm currently looking around for some folks to come out to do the lawn, and maybe a cleaning service.

So basically, I now suck. But there's redemption to be had, I think. There is still time for me to be awesome. In fact last night, I had one of those "dare to be great" moments.

One of my buddies down here is The Irishman. Let's just say that the stereotypes of drunken, semi-to-fully belligerent Irishmen are in no way overcome by my friend. And through The Irishman, I've met a handful of guys, most of whom are petroleum engineers down here.

Last night, the plan was to go hang out at one of the uptown bars for a couple beers, and then calling it a night. Great plan. Get a couple local brews, hanging out, and meet the natives. I get out to the bar, and only one of the guys is there. The Irishman and the rest of the crew are off getting a late dinner. No worries. A while later, the rest of the posse shows up, and of course, we promptly decide to go to a downtown bar. Fair enough. I don't mind driving, since I'm not really going to drink much the rest of the night, plus, I like the idea of getting to know the city better. So we end up at more of a night club sort of place. Of course, all of the employees remember The Irishman from the previous weekend, when he rolled up with his convertible BMW M3, and at one point was jumping up and down, prior to getting accidentally pepper sprayed. So we were in line for an awesome night. We hang out for a bit, when one of the managers came by started talking to The Irishman, and a few minutes later, we're sitting at one of those roped-off, reserved tables with a bottle of Grey Goose. We hang out for a while longer, and we finally go next door for some pizza, and apparently more shots. I'm driving, so I get to keep my judgment. The other guys? Not so much.

There's a lesson to be learned here, folks. If you're going to drink heavily, you should turn off your cell phone. Particularly if you have internet access. We're all in the middle of some random conversation. Then The Irishman has a great idea. He announces:

"We're going to New York."

Wow. Apparently, he gets Expedia on his phone, and flights to NY were only $250. At this point, it's about 5 in the morning, and the flight left at 7:30. We take a little while to get everyone organized, and sure enough, we're on the way to the airport. No stops home to get clothes, coffee, or to tell loved ones goodbye. Straight from the bar to the airport. I actually contemplate just parking the car and jumping on the plane. Sadly, I failed my "dare to be great" moment. But what's promising is that there seem to be more potential moments to be had. And more importantly, my life is more than weekend trips to Lowe's. I mean, not this weekend. But maybe next weekend.

-Chairman