working hard, playing hard

Work takes a lot of energy out of me. But I know how important it is to balance it out with some semblance of a life. It's easy to put forth the effort in something when you know you're getting paid to be there. I used to wake up at 4 in the morning so I could be at Starbucks at 5:30 am for a 6am open. It's amazing what we're willing to do for green pieces of paper. Maybe I need to have a punch card for my social life as well to get me motivated.

Honestly I have been pretty good. I don't go out as much but it's all about quality now over quantity. A few weeks back I was really fortunate to attend Rita's birthday party at Cavalli's. It's a beautiful space and the food is impeccable. I met Rita when I attended her bartending course. She's an amazing woman with boundless energy and enthusiasm. I am really blessed to have met her. Her fiance is part of a really well-established DJ organization here in Montreal so it's been great getting to know him and support his parties. It's pretty cool because his scene is more hip-hop, old-school oriented which I love because the crowd is a little bit more mellow and mature whereas DL Jones, another big promoter, caters to a younger, electro-driven crowd. I tend to float back and forth depending on my mood.

Last Sunday I headed to The Bluedog for one of DL's parties. A girl from work, Maddy, bartends there so it was nice to see her do her thing while the crowd started to pick up around one. The DJs were playing some nice, choice beats. I got excited when I heard a remix of Bassment Jaxx's Romeo and also some Calvin Harris which I hadn't heard in a while. Looking over the drink menu I noticed something a bit disturbing. "Hey Maddy, what the fuck is this? Poutini? Vodka martini and poutine, are you serious?"

"It's a joke. I saw that too and said, I'm not making that."

It was also a great opportunity to meet up with Cam at Bluedog because lately I only see him when he cuts my hair. His life has been taking on some interesting turns since his birthday so it was nice to catch up. Who knows, my b-day is coming in July...maybe I'll see my stock rise as well.

The one and only Mistaya H is back from tour and already we've had some pretty funny moments together. A few days ago she invited me to see The Houston Ballet perform Madame Butterfly at Place Des Arts. It was last minute and we hadn't really had a chance to read the synopsis before the lights went dark in the theatre. Halfway through the first half I whispered to Mistaya, "I have no idea what is going on." I think I realized then and there that full length story ballets, especially relatively new ones are not for me. Classics and Romantic Ballets are easier for me. I studied them and performed them and watched them many times over. I knew nothing about Houston or knew any of its dancers so I wasn't personally invested in the performance. It was all well danced with a few minor glitches that were mainly prop related (live theatre: what can you do), but other than the one major pas de deux at the end of the first Act, it wasn't a very memorable ballet.

So even though work does seem to take up a huge chunk of my life, writing this all down in this blog reminds me that I am getting out there. I don't think I'm the most popular kid on the block, my phone isn't ringing off the hook, but I'm learning to be okay with that. I do what I can. And honestly, it's not so bad. In fact, it's pretty darn good.