Low expectations, great outcome

As most of my friends can tell you, I have a philosophy about social events. It goes like this: low expectations, great outcome.

I have to go to a lot of events and there are just times when I don’t want to do it. Either I’m too tired or the event doesn’t sound like fun, or I’ve just been overextended, over-committed and over it. But about 80 percent of the time, when I force myself to go anyway, I am pleasantly surprised and end up having a much better time than I anticipated.

Thursday night was a perfect example of this. I was supposed to attend the Moxley Carmichael KSO Masterworks, but I had had a very stressful day at work and my husband, Alan, was out of town. I just wasn’t looking forward to it. I figured I’d do a “drive-by” — make an appearance and then leave.

At 7, I left my office, went across the street to the Bistro, picked up a Metro Pulse, sat at the bar and ordered a chicken sandwich (and a martini). In about 10 minutes, my friend and fellow symphony board member, Archie Carpenter, walked in the door and joined me at the bar. Seems his wife, Bonnie, was babysitting the grandchildren and he was going to the symphony alone, too. He ordered a hamburger and a glass of wine.

Pretty soon, we had decided to sit together in his balcony seats, and I had given away my tickets to a stranger we met at the Bistro. We went to the symphony, saw a dozen other friends we knew and had a delightful time.

On my way home, Alan called. “How was your night?” he asked. “Once again,” I said, “low expectations, great outcome!”

By the way, the symphony plays again tonight. The last piece is the best. Tickets are still available. You should go.