Monday, January 25, 2010

Pondering My First Fortune for 2010


My friend Ashley blogged about her first fortune of the year: http://www.ashleystravel.com/2010/01/first-fortune-of-2010/. When reading her post, I thought she had a good idea but doubted I would write something like that. However, as always, things change.

My Chinese craving hit me only a couple of weeks in 2010. Having just gotten my allowance for the week, I headed to my favorite Chinese restaurant. The Hot and Sour soup was delicious, just like remembered from 2009. The Coconut Shrimp danced on my pallet, followed quickly by Black Pepper Steak and Shrimp, Sweat and Sour Chicken, an Egg Roll, and dessert. I was in Chinese heaven.

Then came the bill and the Fortune Cookie. Now I do not eat Fortune Cookies, but I do enjoy reading the fortune and adding that special line at the end. However, before I can tell you what my fortune said, I have to tell you about my New Year’s Resolution.

I have a tendency to be very negative sometime. Even now, I can hear my wife and friends saying with a sneer, “SOMETIMES!” It is true. There are days when nothing escapes my negativism. Yet that was all going to change in 2010. I was going to be positive. I even got out my positive affirmation card and memorized it again: “I am a positive person, and I radiate that to those around me.” Yes, 2010 was going to be my positive year.

Therefore, with that knowledge now in hand, I turn back to my first fortune of 2010. With great expectation, I broke open the cookie, pulled out the paper, ignored the “speak Chinese” side, and turned to what enlightenment awaited me. To my utter shock and despair, I read these words: “Come back later…I am sleeping. (yes, cookies need their sleep, too)”.

What! I could not believe my eyes. I was furious, and yes, I was most certainly negative. Cheated out of a proper fortune, I approached the manager. The manager, however, was not amused and totally irrational. He did not believe I deserved another cookie, and he refused to “comp” my meal.

So, I ask you. What should I have done here? What would you have done? I will tell you what I did. Now, both full and defeated, I went home and lived up to my fortune. I took a nap.