Behind the paper: the first "pour"

When the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2008, I had expected to feel a tidal wave of relief that 2007 was finally behind me. On paper, 2007 seemed to bring nothing but trouble to my life. When the champagne corks popped, shouldn't I have been dancing with glee that it was finally over? Shouldn't I have been crying "good riddance"? I was confused when those feelings never surfaced.

It's taken a few days to process (and catch up on my sleep), but I now realize why that relief never hit me the way I had expected. Believe it or not, I loved 2007. I feel enormous gratitude for all that took place last year — for the lessons I've learned, for the ways I've been forced to grow, for the friends I've made. I will remember '07 as a year that was as rewarding as it was challenging, a year of unparalleled richness and fullness. Every month was more wonderful than the one that preceded it (which explains the lack of blog posts in December, which was positively blissful).

In 2007 I also gained extra appreciation for this little blog. How much more difficult would the year's events have been if I didn't have a small but loyal readership to offer support and encouragement when I needed it most? How much less delicious would my life now be without all the new friendships I've formed since starting IPOS? How much less fun would renaming my restaurant have been if I didn't have all of you to play with me in our virtual sandbox? Finally, could we have ended 2007 on a more positive note than Pim's Menu for Hope, which raised $91,188 for the UN World Food Programme's efforts in Africa?

Everything that took place in 2007 laid the foundation for 2008. It's appropriate, then, to start the new year off with photos of my construction crew pouring the concrete that will form the foundation of my restaurant, Contigo .

Thank you all for helping to make 2007 a great year! Guess what. I suspect 2008 is going to be even more thrilling. I am excited to continue to celebrate Contigo, both on In Praise of Sardines and at my restaurant, which is on track to open in the middle of the year.

Comments

[Claire]

Brett .. I've been trawling the 'net trying to find the perfect inspiration for an antipasto evening I'm having on Saturday. I discovered your very entertaining "In praise of sardines" .. which is a sentiment very close to my heart .. and here I find your restaurant dream is being brought to reality in 2008 .. Brett I am sending you my best wishes for this exciting time. I have a feeling it will be very, very successful and I absolutely KNOW you deserve this success!

[cookiecrumb]

Wow, what an ordeal. An uplifting ordeal, I suppose you could say, given all those inches of cement.
The Putzmeister took care of it all!
Happy 2008.

[R.J.]

Brett,
all the best for the New Year...
It is so exciting to see your dream becoming reality...as it is poured out of a truck...
Looking forward to hearing/seeing more of your journey this year...

[Dr. Biggles]

OoOoo, it's all constructionny. Neat.

[Sean]

Is it too soon to order the souffle?

[EB]

Oh so it was you getting all constructiony!!
Nice!

[Melissa]

Isn't it amazing how fast the pour goes? Congratulations on the solid start!

[art]

Do you think they have to put those orange caps on the ends of the rebar because people have accidentally impaled themselves on them? Creepy, I know.

Congratulations! It's nice to see some progress.

I see a Ryobi 18 V. LIon set in your near future! You might be able to save a few hundred (thousand) dollars here and there!

You will be amazed at how many cigarettes your contractors will smoke I'm sure.

[art]

"few hundred or a few thousand here and there."

[rachelk]

I'm excited too! Can't wait, it's going to be so much fun!
xo r

[catherine ross]

Hi Brett,

A very happy new year to you! I'm sure this year will be a wonderful adventure for you with Contigo. I hope to be one of your first guests!

I think I shared your experience in my own way regarding 2007. What seemed like awful and nightmarish changes were actually the road to freedom, to being a more authentic person. I was pretty surprised by this (and, apparently, so are a lot of people who know me!) Happiness is the best outcome.

Wishing you an awesome year!

Catherine

[brett]

Thanks everyone for your well wishes.

Art, the orange caps are there for precisely the reason you suggested. At Burning Man, where rebar is used instead of normal tent spikes due to high winds, there are many people who impale themselves stepping on rebar.

Catherine, I'm so happy to learn I'm not alone in that experience. "The road to freedom." What a great phrase! So very very true.

[Rachael]

Happy New Year!

[Elan]

Brett,

Your words of enthusiasm, openness, triumph and optimism warm my heart and my stomach.

Cheers to a New Year that is guaranteed to bring you joys...little and large, liberal and lavish.

E

[one food guy]

Best of luck in 2008!

[Ben]

I drive by Contigo every day on my way to work. So exciting to see workers, well, working!
Can't wait.

[catherine ross]

"I have opened a door for you that no one can close."

When do you plan to open? Can I wait that long?

[catherine ross]

And to add a context to my last overly obscure comment, I have this quote on my bulletin board above my computer. A continuation of the road to freedom thread, one that door to freedom opens....

It's from the Bible, but I like to think of it as the voice of Fate.

Then I'm thinking of the doors to Contingo opening!

I love that you are sharing this experience on your blog. I already feel invested in the restaurant. I already feel like I chose the name! I see many of us are sharing in the excitement.

Keep it coming!

[keithb]

I've really enjoyed having the opportunity to experience through your words the opening of a new restaurant. I can't wait to see what 2008 has in-store for the blog, Contigo and my belly...can't wait until it opens!!