The end of an era

It's over.

Four years, and thousands of glass-shattering karaoke songs later, my run as a bartender has come to an end.

It was a night of mixed emotions--a night of heartfelt goodbyes, sappy song dedications, and shameless plugs for my blog.

It was also a night for reflection.

I can still vividly remember my interview for the job back in 2006. I had just come off a three month stint working as research analyst for a firm in the city--a job I had voluntarily ended (because it sucked a fat one)--and I was in desperate need of some cash.

After inspecting my application, my general manager, Paul, looked up and said, "So, basically, you just want a job here until something better comes along?"

Knowing it was the truth, I fed him the best bullshit I could think of.

Then he asked, "Do you play softball?"

And the job was a lock.

Of course, if you had told me back then that I would be working there for the next four years of my life, I would have said you were nuts. But isn't that always the case? Take a moment to reflect on your own life. Has everything always gone the way you thought it would?

I sure hope not. Because I've come to learn that part of what makes life exciting is, well, just living.

I've learned the importance of embracing new experiences, and of looking back on those experiences with an open mind and with a desire to learn from them, rather than with regret.

So, my words of wisdom (read: words of blissful ignorance) for the day: Go with the flow, roll with the punches, grip it and rip it!

Because as my father always likes to point out, "Life is what happens when you're busy making plans!"