Friendship is the shit.

I love my friends. I haven't always been a good friend in my life, to myself or others. I would say its maybe the most important value or ideal to me, Friendship. Actually the main spiritual tradition I am involved with, Shambhala-is all about making friends with yourself. I believe the term they use is Maitri. Which means an unconditional friendly relationship with Life. Its my main goal in life and I am failing so frequently.
Good thing I am ok with being a failure.
I have noticed progress. Sure I can still be a cunt and an asshole, full of hate, pettyness and bastardization. More and more I am able to be friendly and kind to myself and others. I also notice more how much more I suffer and others do when I am an asshole. So, ultimately its a no brainer. Old habits can die hard though.
I find Austin a very welcoming and friendly place and Texans in general to be very superfically warm and friendly. For me, its the right friendly. Its not over the top or invasive.
Actually my friend Becky is the reason I started this blog, she helped me get it going. Becky and her sister Katie just moved to Austin. We met when we were all about 19 and worked at Houlihans together. Here is me and B blogging today. Tex Bex is her blog. She's the real blogger in the family.

 

We all developed nicknames for each other at Houlihans. We took a page from J-Lo and shortened our names. B-Ma, K-Ma, and J-Ma. Then we became obsessed with Bundt cake and decided we were the Bundt family. We were young, mischievous and had the world in front of us, we just had to get out of Houlihans and our hometown.

 

Becky and I still laugh about our Houlihan days. There was buck toothed Bonnie from Brunswick who loved that finger licking good ranch dressing. Then there was our arch enemy Daphne, who apparently was married to a biker and had a mullet that would attract any lesbian. Daphne didn't like Becky or Katie because they brought laughter and joy to the restaurant. So we hatched a plan. We wanted to get Daphne soaking wet and do it 'accidently".

There was a huge dish washing area behind the kitchen that you had to walk through on the way to the walk in storage area. The dish washing area had a large hose like apparatus, with a powerful stream meant to loosen food particles. Here was the plan.

Daphne would be on her way to the walk in, Becky would be running away from me as I was pretending to shoot Becky with water, Becky would duck and Daphne's mullet would be matted. Here's what happened. Timing was right.

Becky made a run for it, Daphne had razor sharp reflexes, ducked and safely made it to the walk in. Becky slipped, and on her way down got soaked with the stream of water meant for Daphne's mullet. Becky and I almost peed our pants and Becky's tailbone has never been the same.

Now they're in Austin. Actually as much as waiting tables was horrible. I have met some of my best friends from restaurants. Becky, Katie and Angel from Houlihans. Shannon and Julia from Cheesecake Factory.

Don't let Katies innocence fool you, this is the lady that drove around downtown Frederick screaming at people.

 HEY YOU! NO NOT YOU, YOU'RE SO CONCEITED!

K-ma became a chef and found work right away in the trendy Austin dining scene. Bundts have been re-united. From Frederick County, Houlihans-one decade later to Travis County Austin. Friendships in tact and stronger than ever.