YMWW #22: Bust a Rut

Before I start, I would like to extend a heartfelt apology to my dear cousin Avery who, though serving as the focal point for my six latest Facebook albums, felt distraught by the fact that I failed to mention her in my last note.  Apparently, any mention of my trip to Seattle must be accompanied with a “Thank you, Avery.”

I went to Seattle.  Thank you, Avery.

Gangsta Cousins: Lil' Ave, B-Rad, and Young Man

All kidding aside, I love my cousin and will actually focus the first part of my note on her.

You know for how no reason at all, everything in your life just falls apart and you find yourself spiraling down a never-ending vortex of despair?  I don’t.  Not offense to anyone currently down on their luck, but recently, good things just started happening to me.  To me.  Be it fate, luck, or karma, my quotidian life is simply getting better, and through none of my own doing.  Not that my life wasn’t kinda awesome before, it’s just more awesomeful now.  Yes, I just made “awesomeful” a word.

And it all started with Avery.  My return from Seattle opened my eyes to a routine.  Avery’s return from Seattle a week later broke that routine.  There’s now another face at my family dinners, another buddy at my late-night bar outings, another brain with whom to discuss everything from TV shows to philosophical quandaries.  Moreover, she shares my weird yet witty sense of humor.  Avery, I’m glad you chose to move back to attend UH Law (you’re welcome) because I love having you around.

What else is changing, you ask?  The size of my social circles, I say.  It’s no secret that by knowing people, you get to know other people.  It’s like a pyramid scheme, except that instead of being screwed over and losing money, you’re connecting with other human beings and spending money (that’s different from “losing money” because it’s justifiable).  By accepting  invitations to after-work happy hours and late nights at a jazz lounge, I’ve recently expanded my social circles to include bartenders, musicians, and crazy people like David a.k.a Guitarzan, a Jazz Minds regular that possibly plays guitar and definitely screams like Tarzan every few minutes.  I found myself taking on-the-house shots with The Deadbeats after closing time one night, and listening to the horror stories of a former navy medic the next.  Opportunities like this seem to be happening more frequently, and all I have to do is say, “Sure, I’m down to go out tonight.”

The greatest and most serendipitous change, however, was in my living situation.  Most of you are aware that I have been living in an three-bedroom townhouse with up to nine other dudes.  At first it was pretty sweet because I had roommates from all over the world.  However, people came and went and the atmosphere of the house went from eye-opening International House to filthy frat house.

I conveyed this situation to my cousin last week and he said, “Oh, you remember Jeremy’s girlfriend Gaby?  She lives a few blocks away from you and is looking for a roommate.”  Several calls and a few days later and I found myself in the process of moving into her clean, two-bedroom apartment.  I’ll be taking over the bedroom she’s not using for the same price I currently pay, which is great because it’s bigger and I won’t have to share it.  I imagine it will be far easier to live with one female instead of nine guys, especially one who cleans and cooks (and cooks pupusas, as rumor has it!).  All I needed to do was find some furniture. . .

Fast forward half an hour after meeting up with Gaby: I tell the great news of my move to my coworker Amanda and the first thing she says is, “Do you need furniture?  I’m trying to sell and get rid of everything I have before I move at the end of this month.”  Still giddy over my newfound place, I listen as Amanda lists off the items she’s willing to sell/give me: a bed, a book shelf, a TV, a DVD player, a George Foreman grill, and so on.

Did that just happen?!  Does this just happen?  Do things just magically click in your favor?

Apparently, yes.  And it’s awesomeful.

The way things are going, I fully expect to be walking along Waikiki when I run into this chick, and she will say to me, "Man, I'm way too tired from surfing all day to drive back to my place on North Shore. Where do you live?"