We are going to make the trek home either on Friday or Saturday. Waiting for the first wave of people to dissipate a bit. I mean there is a strong possibility we don't have power (although the Maple Leaf and Rue does). As much as I want to go home, sitting in traffic doesn't sound like my idea of fun at all. Especially to do all that waiting for the possibility of no AC, not many grocery stores, and what not. I don't have to be back to work until Monday so I might as well keep enjoying my time here in Hickory Creek, TX and hope that Ike or Josephine doesn't push me back here in a few weeks!

Made it to Hickory Creek Texas yesterday morning. It was a looooong drive. However we weren't stuck in traffic. We took a lot of back highways and while it did take us 12 hours, at least we weren't sitting on the freeway. It could have potentially taken us a lot longer.

Slept for about 2 hours yesterday morning and then got up and started watching the progress of Gustav. Been sleeping in short spurts since then.

Everyone went to breakfast, I didn't want to leave the house. Watching CNN on the TV and then have 4 local stations streaming from one website watching...we are far from taking a BIG sigh of relief. Almost afraid to take it just yet because we did that with Katrina...then the breeches happened. So a small one for now. A few friends are in my neighborhood right now, hopefully when it all calms down weather wise one of them will be able to go and check on my house.

I am sitting here on my bed, eating some breakfast. Putting CDs on my computer. Something I haven't done since the last computer crash that wiped everything away. I have been doing this since yesterday afternoon. Neighbors boarded up house yesterday and are right now packing up their car. Kristen is busy packing. I haven't done any packing. I don't want to start packing. I am doing everything that I can to avoid it, however I know I need to start. We got some plastic bins from Katja last night (mine are all full of Bonerama/PBS merch that has been moved to a hopefully safe place) I need to pack up all my pictures under my bed into to the bins. Need to decide how many clothes to pack. For a few days (again) two weeks, or forever. That is something you just have to learn to deal with when you live in a Gulf Coast State. Hurricanes are going to come. I will make that decision soon.

I am watching on the news, some buses getting loaded up for those people who have no means to get out of the city. One of 17 locations across Orleans parish alone. National Guard is getting all set up at the convention center. OPP is closed down. If you get yourself arrested, you will end up on a bus and probably head on out to Angola. So far things about this evacuation is different from the one 3 years ago. While it seems like more people are leaving, a lot of my friends are staying. They will be fine. Of course, if it really intensifies more than they anticipate, then they will leave.

We are leaving sometime after 4. If it stays the course, we will head to Dallas. If it moves more west we will head to BR. At this time? It looks like Dallas.

Gustav, please be kind to New Orleans, that is all I ask. I like it here. I want to come home on Wednesday.

Three years later to the day. That was when all the senses were knocked back into me. What was I thinking before that? That I was invincible? I think at that time I didn’t want to leave the place that had become my home. I stated earlier this week, and previously many times before that, what this city means to me. I must have known in the back of my mind what was going to happen. I didn’t want that taken away from me. What am I talking about? Read the following, it was written a year later.

The next morning I was chilling on the couch watching some movie....when a roommate came home, "Are you going to leave?" she asks me. "For what??" The hurricane that is coming" um no. I am not evacuating for a hurricane. It won't be that bad. They always say it’s going to be a bad one and it isn't. It probably won't even come this way. I decided to stay. Even after watching the coverage (which locally started around 1 or 2 on Saturday)and talking to several people. At that time I didn't have a car, so after both roomies left? I was on my own. I wasn't worried. I had some supplies, I cooked up a bunch of food that I could eat later cold. I made ice. I filled the tubs. I was good to go. I was even calling my friends to see if they were still playing at Donna's that night. To my surprise they were on their way out of town. I was even wondering if the Krewe of Oak, Midsummer party was happening down the street at the Maple Leaf. I decided to stay home and have my own hurricane party. I didn't sleep much that night. Early the next morning I started to worry. It was a Cat 5 now. It really is the big one. It really is coming this way. I am stuck here. I figure I can go to the superdome if it gets really bad. Then I realize I can't take my cat. My cat will go with me no matter what. So it’s either I stay put...or find a way out of town. If I didn't have my cat I would have stayed. I watched the last of my neighbors leave. It was so quiet. That feeling of oh crap....I think I did something stupid by staying, that feeling just rushed over me at that point. As luck had it? A co-worker and her hubby were still in town. And they were gettin out. They came and got me. I didn’t take much. Like most everyone else, I took my computer, a small duffel bag, my cat, her food and a small pan for her to use. That was it. About 4 hours into the trip, we were sitting on the Bonne Carre Spillway. In the countraflow. A dead stop. All four lanes. (for those of you that don't know, the spillway is maybe a half hour away...it took us 4 hours to get there) A feeder band came through. You could see it coming....the rain was just coming...the wind started rocking all the cars....the road was moving and shaking. I just kept thinking if this collapses? How far is it to swim with the kitty carrier above my head. The feeder band passed in about 5 minutes. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. You could see the fear in everyone around us. 12 hours after leaving New Orleans, we reached our destination. It was Jennings, LA. About 6 hours later, the full force of Katrina hit. We were all watching. we couldn't believe what we were seeing. When it was over? It didn't seem that bad. It really didn't. We figured by wed.....we would be on our way home. I was sleeping on the couch....well sleeping is a figurative term...I kept the TV on. I realized very early how bad the levee breaks were getting to be. Tuesday morning when my co-worker got up...she found me crying. "We aren't going to go home for a long long time" Later that day we headed to Austin. From there I went to Hickory Creek, TX. Where I spent the next 8 weeks with my dear dear friends.

Yeah, I was kinda stupid. If you have never experienced that feeling of belonging somewhere, then you don’t understand at all. My sense of being here has only strengthened in the past 3 years. I have gutted more houses than I can count. I have inhaled more mold than I care to think about. I have dealt with so much BS that is unbelievable. Knowing I am not the only one does help. There is a whole city full of people that feel the same way.
As we get nearer to tomorrow, that dreaded anniversary, with potential threat breathing down our necks, take a moment to remember lives lost, homes lost, lives destroyed and be grateful for what you have. I know I am

When is it acceptable to start your planning in the event of a hurricane? Do you start at the beginning of hurricane season? Have a plan all laid out? Do you start to plan when there is a depression out in the Atlantic? Or do you wait until it is a Tropical Storm? Do you watch the path and make a decision from there? Does it have to be a hurricane before the planning starts? What if the probability of it hitting close by is still pretty wide? Or do you wait until your area is in that three day cone? Or is it just better to wait until the night before? Regardless of when you decide to prepare, you should not be ridiculed for it. Boy Scout Motto: “Be Prepared”. Works for them, it can work for me. Should I be made to feel ashamed because right now there is a storm out there brewing in the Atlantic and I am doing some planning? All forecast models shows it ending up in the Gulf this weekend. Can it change paths and fizzle down? Sure! I would love to see that happen. I am not pinning all my hopes and dreams to that however and will face reality and say, Hey, this storm could get potentially nasty maybe I better plan on where I am going to go, get in touch with friends I can stay with. Make sure my ride is going the same way. Check in with some friends here in town to find out if they are going to still go out of town as originally planned since I am to be house sitting for them and want to make sure they have a list of items they would like me to take with me. I have a shitload of merchandise for the bands I work for maybe finding an alternate spot for them just in case isn’t a bad idea. Does this mean I am panicking? No it doesn’t. It means that I have no problem taking a look at what may lie ahead and going head and doing some initial planning. Considering that life is full of twist and turns things won’t always go according to plan and being able to keep a cool head in the face of disaster is always a plus.
This is what looks to be the first big storm since Katrina, 3 years ago almost to the day. There are similarities that make it kinda eerie. It is okay to acknowledge that. Again it doesn’t mean you are panicking. I find it offensive that some people are thinking that it is. Maybe this storm needs to happen to just get it out of the way. Because there will always be a storm happening. We do live in the Gulf Coast area, in hurricane central. Do people go overboard? SURE! When don’t they? But considering what people went through three years ago, there should be some lax from these naysayers. Maybe this is how they cope. Are we to sit back and pretend nothing is going on? That is just ignoring a really big elephant in the room that happens to be standing on your toes. If it makes them feel better, well then good for them. I am going to continue on with my everyday life and include in some extra plans just in case. If you think that is panicking? Go right ahead. I am going to go and dance to some Bonerama music night and be happy. Then I am going to go home, check on the storm and go to sleep and I will be able to sleep, because I have a plan.

After Katrina I told my housemate, “We can’t live in fear if we want to continue to live in New Orleans”. There had been no doubt in my mind that I wanted to come home after Katrina. I know some people just stayed away. Some people came back and then had to leave. Then there are some of us who wanted nothing more but to be here. In the four years I have been here, I have realized this is really where I am meant to be. The only drawback is the rest of my family isn’t here, however that is why there are planes, trains, and other modes of transportation. I have said in the past that the friends I have made here are an amazing extended family, something that I haven’t ever had in the other places that I have lived. No wait, I need to take that back. I did in a way have it in Seattle, but it wasn’t as much, well maybe because I wasn’t really happy it was quite right. I don’t want to make it seem like I didn’t and don’t appreciate them because I do, but what I have here is so much different.
Getting back on track, we are just a few days shy of the 3rd anniversary. It is amazing to see all that is going on down here, and at the same time, what hasn’t been done yet. It is a long road to recovery. It is sad to think that it won’t be exactly the same. It can be said that is good in some ways. Bad in others.
Going back to you can’t live in fear, doesn’t mean you can’t be very aware of what is going on. If you don’t know we are in the midst of hurricane season. People keep a closer eye on what is going on in the waters these days. Fay was nice to us, we appreciated that. Florida is probably wishing she had been just as kind to them. Now brewing out there is Gustav. Gustav we need to watch. I am afraid that he is going to hurt someone bad. Once he hits the open waters of the Gulf? All bets are off. It will be that waiting game. Watching and waiting to see which way and who is going to get hurt the most.
Regardless, I will keep on coming back. It is where I was meant to be. It may be a struggle but what in life isn’t?

ETA: check out what Loki has to say....it is scary.

So here we are. Last day at work. For this company anyway. I started this job when I got back to the city after being blown away. I started as a temp and within the year was hired on full time. While it hasn't been the most favorite of jobs I will be grateful for having it especially post-K.

I am leaving this job because they are moving out of the city and out to St. Rose. Quite a trek with out a car. I doubt I would have gone even with a car seeing how much gas prices are these days. That and I did the long commute when I lived in Seattle and it was beyond frustrating.

Today is not only my last day but the last day of the GM who is moving up to the NE. He is a bit more sad about leaving, but they made him an offer that he can't refuse. There will be a lunch thing today with the whole company, food provided by Voo Doo BBQ. I love me some Voo Doo BBQ.

The only downfall coming up is I didn't take any time off between jobs. I start the new one on Monday. I have the weekend to totally switch gears in my brain and get it back into ship shape. This new job, like I said in the past is an amazing opportunity and I am really happy that I got it. It is going to be a lot of work, it is going to be hard, exciting and educating. I know I can do everything that they need me to do, but there is that little worry-some bug in my head. I am sure by next week at this time it will be gone.

I have mentioned before that I don't have a car anymore. I don't know how many people rememeber the saga of my vehicle after the storm. So here is a quick rundown. When I moved here, I didn't have a car. I got by with the public transportation, cabs, and friends. It was fine. Then this thing called Katrina happened and I realized after a short visit back home, I was going to need a vehicle to get around if I wanted to return to the city. So I purchased a car at the end of October. It died on me by January. I didn't even receive the title for it until March. (that was a saga itself). One day I came home from work, and it was gone. My old landlord swears up and down that he had nothing to do with it, but I know he had it towed. No matter, I was back to riding the bus, an occasional cab and of course friends.

Right now I am frustrated to no end. I know so many people are happy to see the streetcar back and running. It truly is a sign of things getting back on track. (yeah I went there) However, I really and truly do no believe they were ready. Why do I think this? Maybe it is because they don't have enough drivers. Maybe it is because the cars are prone to breaking down. All I know is I use public transportation as my main source of getting from one place to another and it is becoming increasingly difficult. For one thing, the streetcar is slow. If I want to get from my house to downtown? I know that if the streetcar is there when I arrive at the stop? It will take at least 45 mins to get downtown. Which is fine, that is what it was before. However chances of the streetcar being there are pretty damn slim. Not to mention that the streetcar is still not running down to Carrollton. So I either wait for the bus, which seems to have its own schedule, or I walk the 6 blocks down to the stop. More and more I don't wait for the bus because I can walk it in that amount of time.

Let me use yesterday as a prime example of my frustrations. I had an eye appointment at 1. I knew that I had to leave no later than 12:15 from work. I got to the streetcar stop a tad later than I wanted, at 12:25. There was no streetcar down the street, meaning I didn't miss it. One should be rolling by at any minute, because the streetcar is scheduled for every 10 mins. I would just make it to my appointment. By 12:38 I called the doctor's office to tell them I would be late. I didn't get on the streetcar until 12:55. By the time it got to the end? It was 1:20. I then had to decide if I wanted to wait for the bus or walk. I walked. I got to my appointment half an hour late. Then I had to wait for an hour, because of that. Did I mention that I had to be back downtown at 4? yeah....so when my appointment was over at 3:10, I called a cab. Which didn't show up until 3:50. So I was late to WWOZ. This is a constant. Everytime I have had to be somewhere, I leave in ample time to get there. Two weeks ago? I had a dental appointment just off of Canal. The streetcar ride should be 10 mins tops. If it had even showed up. I pretty much had to run from Lee Circle to almost Canal to make it it my appointment, which I was 10 mins late for. That entire time of my power walk/run? (15 mins total) plus the time I had waited for the streetcar (15 mins) and one never passed me. I then walked up to Canal to catch the streetcar to go home. Let me just say that in that day? I spent 1-1/2 waiting for streetcars or a bus. This is NOT including the actual ride. This is the waiting. It is becoming more and more of a problem. Some of the streetcars come by so packed, there is no point in getting on them, so you have to wait for the next one. Which is most likely about 3 blocks behind that one and totally empty. I don't even think that RTA realizes how many people depend on the streetcar as their transportation. It isn't just a tourist attraction. It is getting beyond frustrating. I know, go get a car. Well I can't afford one. Not with with the price of gas, insurance and well I can't afford payments right now. I am pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I could regale everyone of the weekend that just passed, of the music that was played, the conversations had, the decorations that had been put up, all that wonderful and good stuff. However I find this more important. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are back in town. The town they have adopted as their "home" I haven't seen them out and about, my guess is they probably stick closer to their house in the Quarter. (Although the Maple Leaf is nice and dark...I'm just sayin. ) It is nice to know that there are some people out there that still care about the city, people that have some kind of voice.

Apparently they will be in town for the next couple of weeks, mainly for the "Make it Right Project" I will definetly make sure that I go and check it out. While I didn't like the initial designs of the house, hopefully with the residents imput that may have changed. I didn't feel as though they had the "New Orleans" feel to them. In the end I guess it doesn't matter what they look like, as long as they get people home. That is what is important. Some people don't realize that we are 2 years and 4 months past the storm and people are STILL struggling to get home. Try being away from your home that long and see how you would like it.

Last week I talked about those NOLA moments that you can have. I had several yesterday. I was sitting at a coffee shop killing some time before having to go and do some flyer-ing for the upcoming Bonerama gig. I figured there was no better place than the Wednesday in the Square, considering that Bonerama had played there the week before. I pulled out the new addition of Chris Roses' "One Dead in Attic" My sister had sent it to me for my birthday. I hadn't read the first addition in almost 2 years, and this one had about 47 more stories in it. I was just finishing up the introduction when someone walked up to me...
"Is that a new version"
"Yup it sure is"
"Wow...more stories?"
"About 47 more"
"That is great"

I continue on reading and having my coffee. I am reliving some of the first days after the thing through Chris's stories. I remembered how I felt the first time I read them online. Remembering the despair. Someone else walks up.
"I am in that book, page 247"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, they call me Peace Among the Ruins"
"Very cool"

Later the same gentleman came over and told me of a art gallery opening for Chris Rose on Nov. 2nd and that he would be doing a book signing as well, if I wanted my book signed. I told him since the first addition was signed, I might as well get the new one signed as well.

I continued reading on until it was time to get to start flyer-ing. I realized at one point that almost 2 years ago? We didn't think there would ever be this problem again....but here we are, 2 years and a few months after the thing, there is so much going on this weekend that people are going to be overwhelmed with the opportunities this weekend. It is actually a really good problem to have.

I didn't hate it. I didn't totally love it though either. Some of the acting was pretty shallow, mainly by the bit players so hopefully they will be casting better extras and bit parts in the future. I loved seeing that one dude. I don't know his name...but he was on Lost for a few eppies. He was one of the bad dudes at the Riverfront Casino. Guess Harrah's was cool with filming there but not the use of their name. How many people out there know what OPP is? Kristen and I looked at each other after that was said and Kristen said "not many people are gonna get that" There were a few things thrown in there that only a New Orleanian would get (or those that are New Orleanians in their heart) After all the bad guys were captured (oh how I wish that really happened down here. That fast?) and they were talking about deals being made by the guys? I said "yeah that is all good till the D.A. and everyone else messes it up and they all go free. " Lord knows if that had really happened here? All those people would have gotten off. I also loved the chase scenes. Look they are in the Quarter, now they are in Algiers, now they are back in the CBD. I know they have to do that....I have seen it in movies filmed down here, but it amuses me to no end.

Some people are going to think it was incredibly sappy and that this stuff doesn't happen down here. Guess what? There are people that are still struggling to no end with what happened. It isn't healthy and people are fighting to move on. There are still so many obstacles in the way. Yes people really are that emotional down here.

I will continue to watch, and I hope others do as well. Like I said, it has created jobs for people out here and that is a good thing. One small step in healing.

While I have a few moments, okay while the bosses are at lunch or out of town, I am going to take a few minutes to remember rather ask those of you that read this to remember what happened 2 years ago tomorrow. In some instances it feels like Katrina happened yesterday. Maybe that stems from the fact that the city is still struggling. Other times it feels like it happened years and years and years ago. Sometimes it feels like the city will still be struggling years and years down the road.

Many things have improved. This has been shown without a doubt. The French Quarter is alive, the Garden District is alive. Mid-City is getting there. 9th Ward and Lakeview? They have a long way to go still. Jazz Fest, Mardi Gras, French Quarter Fest, Satchmo Fest and almost every fest in between has happened twice. Life is moving on for many. Life moved on for most everyone in the country probably just a few months after. For some people in the city, they are still living the nightmare.

FEMA trailers are now being found to have high amounts of formaldhyde in them. People went from having their houses, homes, lives ripped apart, to now living in a poisonious tin can. They are still fighting with FEMA, insurance companies, SBA, and so many others to try to regain some sort of resemblence of their former lives. There are people that have gotten out of the trailers and are now living 6 or more people to a small 1-2 bedroom apartment because the rent is so high. Some landlords raised the rent to make a buck, some had to do it because their insurance is now sky high.

There are so many other issues that I could mention, it is an ongoing struggle down here. I just want to remind people that as bad as it can be? It is still the best place to be. You have the music, the food, the people. There is a special aura about this city that will either pull you in and never let go, or spit ya right back out. It is a city unto it's own. Come spend some time down here, hear some groovy backstreet tunes, eat a bowl of red beans and rice, have a few beverages, support the local businesses. Help New Orleans to recover from Katrina.

Ya'll, that Dean is a bastard. I can't explain the what I am feeling for the people getting the brunt of Dean. On one hand I am so relieved. On the other, I know what you are going through. Go and get your gas tanks filled up cuz gas refineries are closed in Mexico and Texas and prices are going to skyrocket again. Hope that Dean doesn't cause too much damage.

Also I had a "holy shit I am 32" moment today. I am expecting that number to go up ALOT as my birthday day progresses. Stay tuned for the final count.

Tomorrow is June 1st. To most people across the country it doesn't mean much. For those that live in the Gulf Coast we all know what that date means. The beginning of Hurricane Season. How prepared is everyone? I don't know where I will evacuate too (if need be) my friends moved back to Cali that I stayed with last time. I am hoping there will be no need again this year. The Pacific seems to be staying active, Tropical Storm Barbara is out there making waves. Here we go......

I need your help, especially if you are a reader from New Orleans. Actually, I am helping someone who needs your help. Kaitlin came down to New Orleans at the beginning of this month as part of ASB. This was the trip that Lisa was on. All the kids were touched and want to do more. Kaitlin has decided to do this via writing a play. She would love to get stories from as many people as she can. Here are excerpts from her emails, as she can explain it so much better than I:

I actually just spent the morning brainstorming about how I was going to find a sampling of different varieties of stories, from a different variety of peoples and backgrounds. I just opened the email from Lisa with your address and it seems as though a lot of my concerns have been resolved. I don't know how much of my idea Lisa conveyed to you, but I want to get a ton of different perspectives into Katrina and it's aftermath. No one's perspective is right or wrong, I want the audience to decide for themselves as they view the performance or read the script. I'd like to get everyone from the highest person on the "food chain" (politically, however, I realize that this might be a difficult, or perhaps, impossible, challenge) down to the smallest child. This script will be a marriage of formats- a union of the vagina monologues and the laramie project. Both have a few (or one) actor playing many characters, performing many monologues. This, of course, will have it's own unique format, and specific choices individual to this script. I feel that the only way to truly convey what I'd wish to, is to use the people's words... If I were to write a script that was a narrative, or a story, it would be my bias, and it's not my bias or opinion to have.. I didn't experience it firsthand. I'd love to hear your story, and the story of your friends, family, and anyone you know who would be willing to share and contribute to this project.

I want to have a collection of stories that will tell the entire story. I'd like to hear from someone who had concerns that Katrina might happen beforehand, someone who knows and understands the levees, someone who perhaps contacted the government (local, state, national) with their concerns... I'd like to hear from several people about their experiences during the storm, the help they received. I want the rescuers stories- firefighters, policemen, self-appointed rescuers who were "everyday people." I want stories from the people who traveled to help afterwards. I'd like to have a sampling of everything. I want people to really understand what happened from a huge sampling of perspectives. I'd like the focus to be on Katrina, but the timeline can begin with the concern for the levees, and end in how new orleans is now. I hope to interview one of the students from our alternative spring break and get that perspective too. I cannot wait to work on this, thank you so much for your help!!

Like I said before- no one's wrong or right, I don't want it to be one-sided... However, if there's a consensus of opinions, that should be conveyed as well. I just want a ton of different perspectives on Katrina. As I said to Stacey- It's up to the audience or the reader to formulate an opinion.

Also, I would love to be able to use these people's names, or at least their occupations, sexes, and their approximate ages, if they'd rather remain anonymous... Just so an audience/reader can get some perspective on where they're coming from in their various lifestyles. I'm thinking perhaps this summer it would be beneficial for me to go back down to new orleans and meet with people in person. As of right now, that's very much up in the air, but I would so like that to become a reality.

So if you have any interest in sharing your story, or know of anyone...please contact myself either here or via staceymorigeauAThotmailDOTcom. Please pass this on to all you know that were affected. Kaitin helped us out, lets help her out!!

Hold the presses. Stop what you are doing. Grab a seat and hold on. You are never going to belive this. Guess what is finally in my hands? That is right. The title to my car. Sweet jesus can you believe it? I can't. Any want to buy a car that doesn't run? ;) I would be out celebrating if I wasn't in a permant state of euphoria right now thanks to some percocet. The wisdom teeth came out yesterday. They gave me a scare around 4 yesterday when the bleeding seemed to increase. It was disgusting and nasty....today it is just painful and swollen. Its all good

You will never believe in a million years what happened yesterday. It all started sometime mid morning. I realized I didn't have my cell phone with me. It wasn't in any of my pockets, nor in my purse, nor in my co-workers car. I didn't panic to much as I figured it was on my bed. Next to where I had my purse in the morning and in my rush I didn't grab it. I felt a little lost, naked and somewhat bewildered at certain points during the day. Seriously how did I survive before a cell phone? I wasn't really expecting any calls yesterday so imagine my surprise when there was 3 missed calls, 3 voicemails and a text message. 2 of the calls were from the same place. The "holy shit" place. I never thought this was going to happen, in fact I had given up all hope. It was a hopeless cause. It was a call from TX legal aid. Over a year and a half later, they finally have the title to my car. The car I bought with my FEMA money so I could come home. The car that has been sitting in the driveway for almost a year because of mechanical problems. The car that has become the bane of my exsistance. As it sits there and taunts me "you can't drive me...you can't drive me" I have a feeling that will only get worse as soon as I actually have the title in my hands (should be the end of this week) I have to gather $$ to pay to get the title transfered. To get plates. To get it re-insured. To get it running. As soon as I get all that to happen? The utility pole outside the house will finally fall over (it is leaning so bad now after the tornado) and crush the car. Just you watch. ;) Hopefully it will be after I get insurance. But holy shit....I will really have the title.

Once something good happens something, something bad happens. It almost wipes out all the good. Yesterday we got a water and sewage board for almost $3000. Yes, $3000. That is not a typo. They have been screwing us over for awhile. Water and Sewage is in one of my roomies names. We pay her $$ and she sends it in. For the past few months each bill says we are behind a month. Which we aren't....in fact they have cashed the previous months check. Their computer system just has to be messed up or something. Yesterday we found out that since Katrina, they haven't bothered to come out ONCE to do a meter reading. So for 17 months they have been estimating our water usage. SEVENTEEN MONTHS. They just now finally came and did a reading and now we get to pay for what they haven't charged us for the past 17 months. Now I may be off base but it really isn't our problem if they couldn't get anyone out to read our meter for the past 17 months. I could understand maybe 6 months. But 17???? I am sorry cut your losses, it is your own problem water and sewage board if you cant get your people out to read the meters!! Don't come back later and screw us over royally!!!

We are 9 days into the new year. New Orleans is at this time facing a murder a day. The latest victim was found in his house. 2 blocks from my house. Last year we had about 161 murders. For a small amount of time city officials tried to make that sound good. However when you look at the fact that compared to other years, there aren't as many people in the city, it is not a good number. This Thursday there will be a march on City Hall. Citizens are getting tired of the bad. It really is time to take back this city. It is just now starting to thrive, tourism is finally on the rise, people are willing to come back. Now this. They are even in talks for putting a curfew back in affect. That is really going to mess up Mardi Gras Season, tourism and just about everything but in the long run if it will help and they actually ENFORCE the curfew it, we may all have to grin and bear it for awhile. However there has been a juvenile curfew in effect since June and I really don't think they are enforcing that so well. It is a sad time right now. New Orleans needs more help in surviving, it is a city that is struggling everyday.

Officials looking for answers as killings continue
By Laura MaggiStaff writer
The 2007 murder total continued to climb Monday to eight killings in New Orleans - an average of one murder per day - as city leaders and citizens grappled with how to stem a seemingly unstoppable wave of violence. Over the weekend, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Warren Riley floated the idea of imposing a citywide curfew as a way to help police control the streets. A juvenile curfew is currently in place, implemented in June after a slew of violent murders, including a quintuple killing. But on Monday morning, Riley spoke more tentatively about the idea, saying that the concept was still in the discussion phase and that input was needed from a variety of groups, such as business leaders and community organizations. Meanwhile, Mayor Ray Nagin and the City Council were readying their own crime-fighting initiatives, with an announcement of short-term strategies expected for sometime Tuesday, according to sources at City Hall.Later on Monday, Riley called a press conference to detail a string of gun and drug arrests made by officers in Central City, attempting to send a signal to frazzled residents that police are tackling the roots of violent crime. Police say that murders in New Orleans are linked to the bustling drug trade in certain neighborhoods, with dealers and users alike most often the targets of street violence. But at least two of the recent murders have reached beyond that paradigm, including the shooting of Dinerral Shavers, a teacher and drummer for the Hot 8 Brass Band, in late December. Police arrested his alleged shooter a day later, saying the 17-year-old was actually targeting Shavers' 15-year-old stepson. Residents have also galvanized over the shooting death of Helen Hill, an animator and filmmaker, in her home on North Rampart on Jan. 4. The spate of murders has ignited a new focus on violent crime in a city still struggling to gain a foothold 17 months after Hurricane Katrina. At the core of the city's fragility is its seeming inability to lower the per-capita murder rate, despite the fact that the NOPD's somewhat-depleted ranks have been supplemented for months by Louisiana National Guard soldiers and Louisiana State Police officers. To express their outrage, citizens met Sunday in the Marigny to plan a march on City Hall for Thursday that one organizer said could rival a similar protest more than 10 years ago that prompted increased financing for the NOPD. "I think it is going to be significant. I think it will be reminiscent of when the citizens came up and arms around the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen murders," said Nathan Chapman, president of Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents and Associates Inc. The brutal slaying by a former employee and two accomplices of three employees of the French Quarter pizza restaurant on Dec. 1, 1996 sparked a public outcry that led then-Mayor Marc Morial and the City Council to reverse their positions on providing more money for police. Similarly, city officials and business leaders are expected to announce initiatives this week to tackle crime, although details were few on Monday. As well as the curfew idea, Riley has said he is looking at increasing foot patrols and reassigning officers to front-line duty. Officials within the tourism industry reacted negatively on Monday to the idea of imposing a curfew on a city where visitors come to have a good time into the early morning hours. "The damage would far outweigh the good. The implementation of a curfew in New Orleans could have a devastating impact on the pace of tourism recovery and have little overall impact on incidents of crime," said Stephen Perry, president and chief executive officer of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. French Quarter bar owner Earl Bernhardt agreed, saying that his Bourbon Street Alliance sent a letter to Mayor Ray Nagin and Riley expressing their objections. "We are just now starting to get tourism back to some semblance of normality. If you do this, it is going to kill things," Bernhardt said. Perry said the city's business community is readying its own proposals for improving crime fighting, which will be announced over the next week. He would not offer specifics, but said that many will likely need financial backing from the state, necessitating that Gov. Kathleen Blanco and the Legislature help tackle this escalating problem. After a quiet weekend with no murders, 40-year-old Steve Blair was found by police early Monday morning inside an abandoned Hollygrove house. Blair became New Orleans' 8th victim of the year. A 9th victim, an unidentified woman discovered last week underneath a rug in the Lower 9th Ward, is believed to have been killed in the last days of December, according to the coroner's office. Officers responding to a report of shots fired found Blair around 12:30 a.m., lying on the floor inside a residence in the 2500 block of Dublin Street, police said. Blair was shot multiple times in the head and torso, police said, and emergency medical technicians pronounced him dead at the scene. Streaks of blood stained the house's front porch, littered with broken furniture and beer cans. Several neighbors declined to comment. While they had no news Monday on possible arrests in any of the murders since the beginning of the year, Riley and leaders from the NOPD's 6th District held a press conference to highlight the arrest of a number of men in Central City on drug and gun charges over the weekend. Capt. Robert Bardy, the commander of the district, said one arrest in particular showed the importance of citizen input, which the police in recent days have highlighted as absolutely necessary to solving homicides. "That is what we are trying to encourage," he said. Following a tip from a citizen, the newly formed "crime abatement team" task-force was able to arrest a group of drug dealers on Magnolia Street, collecting five grams each of heroin and cocaine and three guns. Bardy said district officers also nabbed three Harvey men who held up a pedestrian on Terpsichore Street, later finding an assault rifle in the men's vehicle. On Monday, Riley also met with a group of ministers who are members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a civil-rights group, to try to tackle another problem for his department: the recent indictment of seven police officers for the murder and attempted murder on the Danziger Bridge following Hurricane Katrina. Several civil rights organizations have expressed concerns that four police officers indicted on first-degree murder for the shooting of two men were recently released on bail, saying it raises questions about possible preferential treatment. After the meeting, which both sides termed "productive," Riley and the ministers agreed that they all wanted the criminal justice system to deal with the case. "We need to give the system an opportunity to work and function," said Rev. Byron Clay, the regional vice president of the SCLC. Riley also invited the group to offer "sensitivity training" to police officers. Clay and other ministers said they too are concerned about the increase in violent crime, saying that they will offer the police department any necessary help to work with the community.Staff writer Brendan McCarthy and the Associated Press contributed to this report.Laura Maggi can be reached at lmaggi@timespicayune.com or at (504) 826-3316.

It never fails to amaze me. When I come to another city to see the differences. Yesterday I flew into Phoenix to celebrate the holidays. Apparently I brought the rain with me. Because the flooding by my home on Thursday wasn't enough. Thank god I am not the kind that melts. The differences I am talking about, are not just the ones we have experienced since Katrina. I noticed this even before. There is something missing in the air, the people. Just something. There is some charm that I miss. That is okay. There are other things that I get to experience here that I don't in New Orleans, the coffee brewing in the kitchen as my mom talks to my cousin. The dogs all wandering around, getting to see my sister soon. Each place has its own uniqueness I guess.

Hurricane Season 06 has come to a quiet close and I am quite happy about that. It definetly wasn't the crazy busy season that had been predicted. I don't know who is happier about that fact, the Goverment (FEMA) or the residents along the Gulf Coast. Now some people have told me that hurricanes can still form even in Dec. I am going to ignore that fact, and think about the fact that tomorrow it will be in the 30s or 40s. Yesterday it was 76, we had fans on in our stuffy house. My body is confused, I don't know if it is spring, summer, fall or winter. This could explain my lack of holiday spirit right now.

It seems like it was weeks ago since my last post. In hasn't even been a full week. It has been non stop action since then. I don't know when I have enjoyed a Thanksgiving holiday so much. I truly hope that everyone had just as fantastic weekend as I did.

Wednesday after work, I went directly over to my friend's house for our big Thanksgiving day dinner. It was a wonderful evening catching up with a lot of people and hanging out with the coolest 3 year old I know. The food was amazing, the conversation even better. By the time I got home I just crashed, and crashed hard. You couldn't plan an evening like that, you just let it happen.

Thursday morning I watched a bit of the Macy's Parade, one year I will go to that. It can't be as exciting and adrenaline pumping as a Mardi Gras Parade, but it is still one thing I want to check out. I then headed on over to a friend's house that lives by the race track. We all enjoyed bagels, mimosa's, bloody mary's and even more great conversation before heading on over to the race track for opening day of the races. I saw even more people I knew there, got to enjoy the wonderful weather, only lost $6, and got to enjoy one of my favorite activities, People watching. Some people really got dressed up and had the coolest most amazing hats. The races ended in the early evening and I turned down a dinner of leftovers to go home and rest for a bit. I then headed out to the Leaf for an evening of music by the Trio and see some more people. It turned out to be another pleasant evening.

Friday I woke up nice bright and early for some insane reason. I ended up spending the day working on the neverending blanket and watching movies. Before I knew it, it was time to head back to the Leaf to work merch for Bonerama. It was the first time seeing most of the guys since their return from Vegas and Comic Relief. They all had some pretty fun stories to tell. They sounded just amazing. As my friend TF said "I could just listen to them all night every night"

Saturday came, and it was really spent sleeping and catching up with my roomie Kristen who had been gone for the past week. She literally came straight from the airport to the Bonerama gig. We checked out the art market in the park across the street, then it was out to hear more music. We checked out Leroy Jones and Katja out at Harrah's then went to my favorite new bar, Chickie Wah Wah. Terrance Higgins was playing. He is the drummer for Dirty Dozen and has been sitting in with Bonerama alot. He is a fantastic drummer and a very sweet wonderful man as well.

Sunday was spent out by the river. It was a concert of Thanksgiving featuring the Arabi Wrecking Krewe all stars and it was a thank you to all the Volunteers. The first set was probably my favorite, at least 20 people onstage, brass band style. I can't convey in words how wonderful yesterday was. Seeing so many people I knew, listening to great music, in the city I love. It was a nice way to end the weekend.

Oh my! My face still hurts from laughing so hard of 3+ hours. It was so much fun, well put together and a fantastic night overall. So many thanks go to Laurie for getting us the fantastic seats and all her hard work!! THANK YOU!!!!!!! I saw myself 2 times!! Once on the piece they did on Arabi Wrecking Krewe and then again in the audience when Wayne Brady did a audience participation rap. :) The star of the night was Grace however. ;) So many people came up and talked to at the end of the night and one guy even asked her to pose for a picture!! My boys...Bonerama? They sounded awesome of course in Vegas. They said they had a wonderful experience and such a good time!! :)
some pics to enjoy:

The "stage" that the Radiators played from, Tom Arnold and Cheryl Hines, Wayne Brady singing to Grace, and the whole gang at the end of the night:

Right after getting to Dia and Randy's house in Hickory, TX to await my fate (will I be able to return to NOLA) I decided to make a blanket for my sister. I mean it was the beginning of Sept, and her birthday was days away. It seemed like a good way to try to keep my mind off the ongoings of the city. We are a year and 2 months past her birthday again, and I STILL haven't finished. In fact, I didn't like how it was turning out at ALL so I am in the process of taking out the entire thing...and starting over. My goal is to have it done by Christmas. (quit laughing...I can do it!! really!!) I owe her 2 birthday presents as well so she is going to be rocking in the gifts this year. I had been hoping to get one done for the baby as well, but I am not going to go overboard on trying to get that done. Maybe while I am there for Christmas I can have her chose the colors she wants.....to match the nursery. I still can't believe that I am going to be an auntie and my big sis is going to be a mommy. :) :)

I just read this and almost got sick. It is just mind boggling. Horrendous.

Man dismembers girlfriend in Quarter; cooks body partsA suicide note in the pocket of a man who jumped off the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel late Tuesday led police to the grisly scene of his girlfriend’s murder, where they found her charred head in a pot on the stove, her legs and feet baked in the oven and the rest of her dismembered body in trash bag in the refrigerator, according to police and the couple’s landlord. The man, Zackery Bowen, a tall man in his mid 20s with long blond hair, claimed in the note to have killed his girlfriend, Adrian “Addie” Hall, on Oct. 5, according to police. Hall was also in her mid 20s. In the five-page note, Bowen claimed he strangled Hall in the bathtub, then dismembered her body before taking it in pieces to the kitchen, police said. An autopsy conducted today shows that Hall was in fact manually strangled, police said. It also appears that Hall’s body was cut up after she died, police said. “He appeared to clean up the bathroom a lot after he did it,” one officer said. Police found the victim’s head burned beyond recognition in a pot on top of the stove, and her legs and feet in the same condition in pans inside the oven, police said. Bowen was from Los Angeles, but apparently had lived in the New Orleans area for quite a while, police said. Detectives said they were compiling a detailed profile of Bowen to submit as soon as possible to the FBI’s VICAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program) center. VICAP is a nationwide data information center designed to collect acts of violence that might be serial in nature and recognized by other jurisdictions with access to VICAP as similar to a crime that they investigated. Shortly after Oct. 1, the couple had rented an apartment together at 826 N. Rampart Street above a voodoo shop, said their landlord, Leo Watermeier, who recently ran a campaign for mayor. The couple seemed happy, he said. “He may have in retrospect seemed a little troubled,” Watermeier said in an interview early Wednesday morning, shortly after he led investigators to the gruesome scene inside the apartment. Though they appeared happy when they rented the place — telling Watermeier they had fallen in love on the night Hurricane Katrina struck and Hall gave Bowen shelter — they soon had a bitter falling out, Watermeier said. On Oct. 3, during a dispute over which of their names would appear on the lease, Hall told Watermeier she intended to kick Bowen out of the apartment after finding out that he had cheated on her, Watermeier said. Bowen did not take the news well, he said. “He said, ‘Did you just let her sign a lease alone? Because I’m screwed. I’m totally messed up now. She’s trying to kick me out of our apartment,” Watermeier said. Hall admitted she was trying to throw Bowen out, he said. “I caught him cheating on me, and I am kicking him out of this apartment,” she told Watermeier. Watermeier told the couple to work through their differences and get back to him. He never saw Hall again, and assumed they’d worked it out. Police came to Watermeier’s door about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, shortly after Bowen committed suicide, asking if he knew a tall man with long blonde hair, and if he had a connection with the apartment at 826 N. Rampart St. He took them to the apartment, he said, where they warned him he might not want to enter. Investigators told Watermeier what they found, however: charred body parts strewn about the kitchen. Hall was also not from New Orleans, Watermeier said, but both she and Bowen seemed “hard core” about the city and proud that they had stayed here through Katrina. Bowen’s suicide was first discovered Tuesday when his body was spotted below by someone in an upper floor lounge. It was soon determined that Bowen had jumped from an outside terrace near a swimming pool on an upper floor to the roof of the Chartres Street garage on the second floor, police said. A surveillance camera showed him walking several times to the edge of a ledge on the upper floor, then retreating, then returning again, until he finally plunged, police said. Police found the five-page suicide note in his pocket, which not only led him to the scene of the murder, but included information on an out-of-state person who should be contacted after he was found, police said.

Guess who is in town to help with the rebuilding process??? Guess who found out about AWK through Paul Sanchez and came and helped out on a house yesterday?? Hootie and the Blowfish!!! I went out there yesterday afternoon after a couple hours of work and helped out. They were all very sweet, and some kick ass workers. Craig was the only other AWK'er out there, and there was about 20 of them. The house still had furniture, by the time I got there? Most of the walls had been knocked down. There were a two bathrooms and the ceiling still to come down, a few other items...They were crazy!! I totally shovelled installation with Darius Rucker

I can not even come up with the words to describe what it was like to be a part of the pre-game crowd on the floor for the U2/Green Day performance. From standing there at the loading dock leading into the dome, with a thousand people (most teenagers) cheering behind me, to the energy coming inside the Dome. It truly came alive on Monday night. I didn't sense this kind of energy during Mardi Gras, French Quarter Fest, or even Jazz Fest. This is a huge step in the right direction for the city. I don't know how, but it is. I got to see Harry Connick Jr, as he was going through security at the loading dock. He was with one of his daughters and some friends. He smiled and waved at all of us crazies. Archie Manning walked right pass me.

I watched online via rhapsody the performance last night. I did see me, at least twice in the very beginning only. Of course I knew where to look. I don't know if it is possible to save it from that website, I am not that technically savvy. (heh savvy?) So if someone knows how? That would be awesome. I may try to even figure out screen captures from there. I just hope that everyone gets to feel that kind of euphoria at least once in their life in some way, shape or form.

It is almost game day! One of the biggest football games in the history of New Orleans. Okay it probably IS the biggest game. 13 months after the thing...football is returning to the Super Dome. I had told my roomie that I wasn't planning on going to a Saints game. Really anything to do with the Super Dome. I didn't want to go in. I didn't have this strong of a feeling when I went to the convention center for the first time. It's not that I am not a Saints fan (I am..unless they are playing the Seahawks. Then its Hawks all the way) I just had a sense of sadness. Well anyway....I have overcome that. Tonight I was in the Super Dome. I will be in the Super Dome tomorrow night as well. On the field. As part of the crowd, in front of the stage...in which U2 and Green Day will be playing. 3 songs. I will be on the same side of the stage as the Edge....not right in front...but off to the side. Tonight I was right behind where the brass band stops. (My friend Rob Espino is part of that band, silver Sousaphone) Rebirth is on the other side. I can not even at this point in time express what it was like tonight. Tomorrow? It is going to be way more intense. The energy coming from the crowd in their seats? Its going to be incredible. We don't get to stay for the game. That is fine, we will head to a bar to watch the rest....but for a few short moments? I get to be part of history.

On my first trip home after the "thing" the only place to have live music that weekend, Oct 15th, was Angeli's. There were only a handful of people, James Andrews was sitting in with the band. At the time it was pretty much the Jazz Vipers. Since coming home, I have gone there several times to hear music and eat some good food. Today, on I received this (via myspace):

Hey everybody-after receiving minor noise complaints, two bars that started doing live music in Oct. after the storm have been told to cease because they do not have a music permit, thus depriving about 25 musicians of jobs. Angeli's on Decatur started having music for the first time 7 nights a week 6 weeks after katrina. Vaughan's in the bywater added three more days to their music schedule. Both have been told to stop immediately, no grace period to get the highly elusive "music permit". There are many other clubs that are in the same situation and face being told to stop having live music.In a city where music is so cherished, one would think the govt. here would do what they could to keep a viable scene happening, especially in the light that so many musicians have left after the storm and have no intention of coming back.So please write your councilperson,mayor,radio stations,tv stations,newpapers to try and reverse this trend. If musicians can't make a living here with all the angst that is part of New Orleans now, a lot of us will go to. Thanks,Washboard Chaz

What in the world? First of all....who in their right mind would complain about live music in New Orleans??? Guess what? If you moved into a neighborhood where there are clubs? Its your own damn fault. These places have been there LONG before you and will be/should be there LONG after you. Get used to it. Music makes up a huge part of New Orleans. Not just the music itself, but the people who play the music. 25 people are now out of jobs on those nights. Some may think big deal...well it is a HUGE deal when this is your profession. This just boggles my mind. Can you imagine NOLA without music? Just take a minute and try to imagine that. It isn't possible to imagine. Please if you can do something to help reverse this? Then do so. It is just a few phone calls...a few letters.....we can change this!!

And if you don't like the live music? What the hell are you doing here???

I realized this weekend that we are half way through Sept. Which means that we are 3-1/2 months until the end of the year. Really where did 2006 go? I feel that since moving here time just flies by. I guess it really does fly when your having fun. Okay so the last half of last year was pretty much blur of emotions, numbness, and general WTF??? I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that a year ago I was hanging out at Dia and Randy's with my fellow evacuee's Leroy and Katja. Mind boggling almost. While in some aspects I feel like it was yesterday, and in others? I feel like it was years ago. So much has happened...so much will continue to happen. It is interesting how many people are bringing up resolutions that they came up with at NYE. Rockstar Mommy is the latest to do it. I went back through my blog and realized that for once? I didn't make resolutions. I just listed the things I was looking forward to....and boy...no wonder I don't remember much of the the year!! ;) I did everything on that list except 2 things....they won't happen as they were possible trips and well...can't afford that now. Its all good. There is plenty of time for that right?

I did experience a fairly uncommon event this weekend. It was called not doing much of anything at all. Really. Friday night the big event was going to the movies (Last Kiss, love it, depressing, funny, wonderful love both Zach Braff and my new movie star crush Michael Weston). Part of that night may or may not have included some spying on our neighbors. They were having a big fancy pants party (remember my neighbor was one of the millions running for mayor and was actually in the top 8 or whatever). They had spots blocked out in front of their house for no parking, however we may or may not have obsessed that the Mayor was coming. We don't know....we went to the movies. Saturday was a good solid day of wrecking. It was a small krewe but we go a TON done. There is of course more to do, as always but we all left feeling like we made some progress. I had planned on going to the Roller Derby that night but couldn't get my ass off the couch. Once I started watching "Lost Boys" all hope was lost. Sunday I was going to go help out with wrecking again...this time it was a NOLA blogger's home, but I couldn't muster the energy. That and I didn't have a ride. I really had to do some stuff around the house also. Like laundry. I know ya'll can just barely contain your excitement over my weekend right? It is rare that I have a quiet weekend at home, and I loved every second of it. Now if I could just sleep through the night? Life would be grand.

Now for the next 3-1/2 months? I have some things planned....not as crazy...but should be good:

My Boys should be playing at the Leaf in Oct.
Voodoo Fest
Fundraising events for Arabi Wrecking Krewe
Wrecking
Thanksgiving (which may or may not include going to the race track)
Roller Derby
Gretna Heritage Fest
Phoenix for Christmas
I know there is more but my brain isn't working correctly. I like this whole no resolution thing...much easier to enjoy life.

it's one of the oldest traditions in my lifetime....the open windows, the compressor ticking, the bells.....and swaying down the street at top speed....."~Sheik

It is almost as old as this city. One of the sounds I miss the most when sitting out on the balcony. I miss my favorite driver, she always had the late, late shift. I would catch the streetcar at Carondelete and Canal after a night of music, she would say to everyone getting on "if your going to fall asleep on the way, let me know now where your stop is at!" When I first moved to NOLA, the Streetcar was my transportation. Since the "thing" happened the streetcar has been in limited use. The only place you will see the street car is along the Canal St. line and Riverfront line. They do not expect to have service back on St. Charles Street until late 2007. They are right now working hard on getting a portion of that fixed, to run from Canal to Lee Circle by the end of this year.

One thing that people have gotten used to? And really want back? Are the historic Green Streetcars. They have taken place of the new shiny red ones on the Canal/Riverfront lines. Why? Because the new ones were destroyed. The new ones that had been running for just over 2 years. The old ones? The historic ones? They are fine. The shiny red ones don't have the charms and the qualities like those of the historic cars. You don't get that constant popping, sparks flying, the gentle swaying. In fact unless I am really wrong...the newer ones had AC. That just doesn't seem right on a streetcar. I think, as do some others, that we need to keep the green cars on the Canal line, as well as the St. Charles Line.

We are trying to rebuild the city, this may seem like a small trivial matter to some, but for others these streetcars are part of the heart and soul of the city. I think its time our voices are heard...don't you?

We had an interesting conversation this morning here at work. We have a few people who have been here for a few months...doing lets say some freelance. One of these people decided to start making comments about Nagin. I know a lot of people don't like him. This person decided to harp on Nagin's latest foot in mouth comment. Ya'll know the one. About the "hole in the ground" It was suprising that this person hadn't heard what the mayor of NYC said about NOLA first. Pretty much about why we can't get shit done. Our mayor doesn't have a filter. He speaks first, deals with later. Which I know EVERY single person has done more than once in their life. I was cheering last night when Wynton Marsalis said, "people need to stop armchair quarterbacking, need to stop critizing (including himself) need to stop judging" He then introduced the mayor.

It amazes me when I said to this person its not fair to judge him so harshly, "what would you have done in this whole situation" Walk a mile in someone else's shoes for once and see what it would be like. Their response was..."that is stupid. " Seriously. Very intelligent. That is because they don't know what they would do in this kind of situation and it is a whole of a hell lot easier to sit back and think "I wouldn't have said that, I wouldn't have done that, I would have done it this way, and it would have been better" I am sorry no one is that perfect. Far from it.

There are people all over this country jumping all over his case. Maybe they need to take a look on what their OWN mayor's are doing and are saying. I am willing to bet MILLIONS that they don't know half of what is happening in their own backyard.

Judging. It must make people feel better....kharma is a bitch and it will bite you in the ass.

I am not defending the mayor's statement. I am defending a human being who makes mistakes.

A year ago today I was in tears, scared, and not sure what was going to happen. I know I sure as hell wasn't the only one. I didn't think that I was going to get to come home ever again. I know for a fact that I wasn't thinking that a year later I would be 2nd lining down Poydras street.

Yesterday started off on a rather odd foot. I headed to work as normal, when I was a block away, I could see alot of the people standing outside. As I got closer one of the guys in the shop said, "the power is out" It had been out since about 6:30 or so. There was apparentley a fire in one of the underground lines, it blow a man cover off, smoke was billowing. The power was out from our building all the way down to the river. So we were told. We hung out for awhile, then around 9 when it was made clear that the power wouldn't be on anytime soon, we were all sent home. As it turned out? It came back on about 9:30 AM. An unscheduled day off.

I headed home and chilled for a bit, then I went out to enjoy the city like Lisa suggested. I went down to the Quarter and ate a bit of lunch at Napoleon House. I then headed back down to the CBD area. I had been told by Sheik that is where the Treme Brass Band was meeting for the 2nd line. The 2nd line was to go from the Convention Center down to the Superdome. When I got there, I saw a ton of people that I hadn't seen in awhile including Uncle Lionel, Rob Espino, Bruce, Craig to mention a few. There were a small contigent of Arabi Wrecking Krewe'rs there as well....Brian got to play with the Treme. The parade was to start at 2, it was more like 3 or 3:30. Before we got started, the band would play a few songs and it was amusing to watch the reporters, photographers, and camera men flock to them like they were gods. I can not explain the feeling that overcame me when the band started playing "I'll Fly Away" as we danced down Poydras Street. I had chills. Not only was the band playing and several members singing, but the crowd following them was singing at the top of their (our lungs) There were people lining the streets cheering and dancing. I almost lost my group at one point. I got sidetracked by a certain anchor of CNN. Anderson Cooper. He was just hanging out behind the barricaded street, watching the parade with his dog. I snapped a few pics and shook his hand. By the time we reached the Super Dome we were all soaked in sweat. Not only was my ankle swollen, but the entire foot. It was worth it however. I don't know how the guys in the band did it. They didn't stop playing, and the water that I did have left only got as far as Craig and Rob at the end.

A few of us decided to head out to find a bar. Only requirements? AC, beer, water and food. We ended up at Mother's. Pretty much back at the beginning of where the parade had started. We had just gotten our food when General Honore walked in!! We then headed up to the Circle Bar. At this point I should mention we were still walking....we hung out there for a bit, then it was time to walk BACK to the NO Arena where we met up with Grace and Kristen. We took in the concert that Wynton Marsalis had organized featuring the following people (I know I am not going to remember everyone) George Porter Jr, Leo Nocentelli, Ivan Neville, Cyril Neville, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews, Raymond Weber, John Boutte (that was just the first band!!) Dr. John (in a fantastic red suit and he even got up from the piano and danced his heart out) then out came the gospel groups Mary, Mary. Kim Burrell, Kirk Franklin. Wyton Marsalis played. Dr. Michael White was with that group. The to round out the evening Stevie Wonder. Stevie had Wyton, Kim and Kirk all out at one point or another.

By the time I made it home, it was after midnight. I was sore, hobbling and for the most part enjoying every minute of it. I do have pictures from the days events. However I was too tired last night to put them up. I just crashed. I will get those up sometime today.

Really, was a difference a year can make. Not in overall improvements in the city, but considering a year ago where I was emotionally? It is a huge improvement.

I had a whole big post done all up....and it didn't post. So to recap

Sprained my ankle on Saturday while wrecking Leroy Jones mom's house. Today it is a pretty bruised color and slightly swollen.
Even with said sprained ankle...I did the Krewe of Oak parade....had a lot of fun and topped the night off with some Grayson Capps at d.b.a.
Yesterday new roomie moved in!!
Got to meet some fellow NOLA bloggers. There was a special wreck yesterday...I had to run out there yesterday to drop some items off....hope to see ya'll back at a wreck one day! I hope this one wasn't too overwhelming
Sorry Florida...but Ernesto is coming your way and now I can breath again.

We are fast approaching "that" day. In all that has happened in this past year, it still feels like yesterday. Maybe it is because for about six months I was in a complete fog. Let me take you back to almost a year ago. The Friday before it happened.

I had just celebrated my birthday. My friends from PA had just left town the night before. The place I worked before, well they closed the office on that Friday. We were all going fishing. Seriously. Most everyone went up the night before. We stayed in a cabin, drank wine, ate tons of food and just mellowed out. Before the sun even rose, we were out at the landing dock. (excuse the lack of knowledge when it comes to fishing terms) It was storming around us. Thunder and lighting....pouring down rain. We waited a good hour for it to stop, then we broke off into smaller groups and boarded our boats. It was pretty cool to watch the sun rise from the bayou. We out-ran rain storms on the boat. In and out of different channels. We went and saw the ship that had gotten tossed on its side by Ivan the year before, just a rusted out shell. We went to a fishing cabin, our captian knew the owners. We hung out there for awhile trying to see the alligators. I actually caught some fish. I think it was 2. Could have been 3. Maybe it was 1. After spending a good chunk of our day out on the water we headed back....there we got our fish, all cleaned up and ready for us to cook. We then headed out to the picnic area where we had a food fest of jambalya, shrimps, crawfish, whatever we could stuff ourselves with. At one point one of the captians came over and said "Katrina bounced off Florida, she could head this way" Seriously, when he said that? there was no reaction from anyone. Because up to that point? no one had heard of this storm. Or rather, not much about it. At that time there wasn't much to say. I made it home exhausted around 7 in the evening. I promtly fell asleep.

The next morning I was chilling on the couch watching some movie....when a roommate came home, "Are you going to leave?" she asks me. "For what??" "the hurricane that is coming" um no. I am not evacuating for a hurricane. It won't be that bad. They always say its going to be a bad one and it isn't. It probably won't even come this way. I decided to stay. Even after watching the coverage (which locally started around 1 or 2 on Saturday), talking to several people. At that time I didn't have a car, so after both roomies left? I was on my own. I wasn't worried. I had some supplies, I cooked up a bunch of food that I could eat later cold. I made ice. I filled the tubs. I was good to go. I was even calling my friends to see if they were still playing at Donna's that night. To my suprise they were on their way out of town. I was even wondering if the Krewe of Oak, Midsummer party was happening down the street at the Maple Leaf. I decided to stay home and have my own hurricane party. I didn't sleep much that night. Early the next morning? I started to worry. It was a Cat 5 now. It really is the big one. It really is coming this way. I am stuck here. I figure I can go to the superdome if it gets really bad. Then I realize I can't take my cat. My cat will go with me no matter what. So its either I stay put...or find a way out of town. If I didn't have my cat? I would have stayed. I watched the last of my neighbors leave. It was so quiet. That feeling of oh crap....I think I did something stupid by staying, that feeling just rushed over me at that point. As luck had it? A co-worker and her hubby were still in town. and they were gettin out. They came and got me. I didnt take much. Like most everyone else. I took my computer, a small duffel bag, my cat, her food and a small pan for her to use. That was it. About 4 hours into the trip, we were sitting on the Bonne Carre Spillway. In the countraflow. A dead stop. All four lanes. (for those of you that don't know, the spillway is maybe a half hour away...it took us 4 hours to get there) A feeder band came through. You could see it coming....the rain was just coming...the wind started rocking all the cars....the road was moving and shaking. I just kept thinking if this collapses? How far is it to swim with the kitty carrier above my head. The feeder band passed in about 5 minutes. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. You could see the fear in everyone around us. 12 hours after leaving New Orleans, we reached our destination. It was Jennings, LA. About 6 hours later, the full force of Katrina hit. We were all watching. we couldn't believe what we were seeing. When it was over? It didn't seem that bad. It really didn't. We figured by wed.....we would be on our way home. I was sleeping on the couch....well sleeping is a figurative term...I kept the TV on. I realized very early how bad the levee breaks were getting to be. Tuesday morning when my co-worker got up...she found me crying. "We aren't going to go home for a long long time" Later that day we headed to Austin. From there I went to Hickory Creek, TX. Where I spent the next 8 weeks with my dear dear friends. It was nice to have a few fellow evacuees staying there....we could commiserate together. I can vividly remember my first trip back in mid-Oct. when all that came out of my mouth as we got off the freeway by my house was "oh shit, oh shit, oh shit" nothing looked the same. It was almost like a dejavu feeling. I knew I had been there before, but...well it didn't look quite the same. Memories, emotions and life have all blurred together in the last year. There have been some amazing highs and some very very low lows. I was right though, even though I am back in New Orleans, its going to be a long time before it will really feel like home again. This city still needs help. All of the gulf coast does. I can do what I can do, with Arabi Wrecking Krewe. I can continue to support the restaurants, the merchants, the musicians. I am will help make this city live again.

What I experienced? It is nothing....absoultely nothing compared to those that did stay. That had no way out. They had no choice. It didn't have to be this way.

Wheee it is Friday! I love this day. It is a good day. After all the work drama? I am ready for the weekend. Tonight one of my fellow AWK'ers will get his first dose of Bonerama. I think he will survive. Hopefully he will understand the whole "dig the bone" thing now. Tomorrow I may or may not wreck. It depends on how late this night goes. After that? Who knows what the weekend will bring. I am just going to go with the flow. There are a few movies I want to see, so I may take in one. I am going to just enjoy this city to its fullest this weekend. As we come up to the anniversary of the thing, I want to take it in more and more and remember what it was like a year ago, to what it is now. To see how much has changed....some say for the better some say for the worse. If ya'll get the chance to see the documentary "Song for New Orleans" check it out. It premiered last night on TV here and its going to air a few more times, leading up the anniversary. I even spotted a few people I knew in it! It is worth a look.....it really hit what this was about for me.

Apparently the world is going to end on August 22nd. My roomie told me this last night. I don't remember where she heard it....but just thought I would throw that out there for you. I guess I better make my birthday a REALLY REALLY good one. Maybe she just meant that for me, on the 22nd that my world would feel like it was ending? I should probably clarify that. Hopefully this isn't a true statement (not that I am putting any money on it) however I don't think the people in the Gulf Coast need to be put through even more hell do you?

I am a tad bummed, I won't be able to see the movie tonight, by Spike Lee. It is sold out. I had enough notice to get tickets, but ya'll know how I do with getting tickets. I wait till the last minute. I am pretty sure it will pop up on DVD soon after the HBO premier, so I will have to keep my eyes open for that. I started to read the review for the movie from the TP and had to stop. Of course it was a white reviewer....and don't almost all complain about Spike Lee's focus? Yes I realize the thing impacted everyone in New Orleans, however who was the most impacted? Really? I don't see any well known white directors heading down here to show the whites story. The majority of this city was not white. When something of this magnitude happens....and I am not just talking about the thing itself but the aftermath....well people need to take a good look at themselves, their country and see what they can do to change it instead of just sitting there.

Yes I realize that Monday has just started. However I think this is going to be a fairly nice one. The reasons I believe this to be so?

My birthday is in one week. One week from today.
I got my birthday present from my sister, bro-in law, and parents early. I am flying to AZ on August 31st. While there we are going a football game. As well as seeing Cowboy Mouth.
Bonerama has a gig this coming Friday at the Maple Leaf. Grace and I will celebrate our birthdays with good music. (Happy Birthday today Grace!!)
Tonight I am going to hang at Donna's and hear Leroy play.
The Better Than Ezra show on Saturday kicked some serious ass. Even the beer being spilled into my hair wasn't that bad.
Wed is the premier of the Spike Lee documentry...they are now going to show all 4 hours. I need to make sure to get my ticket.
We managed to finish a house on Saturday. By finish I mean its ready to have the studs pressure washed and cleaned of all the mold. All the nails are removed, debris removed, walls knocked down. It was a good feeling. Also Paul and Shelly Sanchez dropped off a few boxes of Southern Comfort t-shirts so we don't have to mess up our own clothes. :) :)
Cold Stone Creamery finally opened up. It was suppose to open before the storm. It now has. Its so very yummy.
I actually got a lot of rest this weekend. I don't know how, but I did!! I feel like I can actually take on this week head on.

I finally feel rested today. It had been a crazy weekend. After I got off work on Thursday we headed out to Craig's house. There was a mini-jam session and several of the musicians were from Japan. They donated $10,000 to Arabi Wrecking Krewe! Much needed and much appreciated. They also donated a few insturments as well. We had a yummy dinner that night with Lisa and Fam, even if the service was really really slow. I guess its the norm around here now. Friday morning started early for me. I was out the door and on my way to the Quarter at 6:45 AM. My ride, Boy Wonder, was meeting me at the corner of Decatur and Esplanade. We made it to the Sanchez household and we were working hard by 9:00. Paul and John Boutte stopped by for a bit, to thank us and see if there was anything we needed. We had a great krewe working. By the time that Shelly and Paul came back to the house with lunch, we were just getting started with taking down the sheetrock. I finally experienced the pain of being bit by Fire Ants. I really hope not to experience that again. By the time we left around 5, the house was done. Nails need to come out and pressure washing is next. At this point however, their house is safe from being demolished and the land seized. Once I was home I had about an hour to shower, change and grab something to eat. Then it was out the door and back Frenchmen street where I got to see a lot of people and hear Hot Club of New Orleans, The Japanese band, John Boutte, and New Orleans Nightcrawlers. We made it home around 2:30 AM or so. We were up by 8 and out wrecking at Mike Mayeaux's house by 9:30. We stayed there just the right amount of time (saved 5 baby mice). We headed out to Wal-Mart and then back home to get ready for the BBQ we were having at the house. Once the torrential downpour ended we had a great time! A few hours of sleep and it was back to the Quarter to enjoy Satchmo Fest. It was a great weekend filled with friends, food, music, drink (lots of drink I have a ton of beer left at the house). I will take weekends like that any day.

I have today off. Yet I am up really early. Why you may ask? Cuz I have to leave the house in 1/2 hour to go and wreck. Good thing I don't usually shower before wrecking because really what is the point? I am gonna be a hot and stinky girl in about 3 hours anyway. The showers after a day of wrecking? They are the best showers in the world. Now you may ask, why wrecking today? I thought you were a weekend home wrecker (hehehehehe get it??) Well today is a special house. At least for me. We are wrecking at Paul Sanchez's house of Cowboy Mouth. The people from Japan that just donated $10,000 and some insturments may also be there. Sheik had me set up this house, once we found out they wanted our help. I have been working with Shelly Sanchez for the past two weeks to get a good day. So here we go. Tomorrow its a new house. It never stops.

I couldn't sleep very well last night. Why you ask? It could have been the beer flowing through my veins but in reality? It was because of Entergy. Let me explain. I paid the bill in late June when it was due. Come July, around the time it was due again, I realized that I had not received the bill. So I call, and find out that my balance is zero. Cool I think. I request a bill to be sent to me. Last week I received it. It was the same one I paid in June. Then on Monday? I got the bill. I opened it up and knew it was going to be a large amount because they were going to be charging us for 2 months. It was roughly $273. Okay that is about right for two months. Except it WAS FOR ONE MONTH. It was an estimated reading. We are all a little miffed because we are very energy aware at our house. The AC is set for 81. That is warm people. We have been using the same if not less energy in the house the past few months. Heck we were one less person for awhile. Normally we average about $90. So we have what tripled that? I don't think so. This bill is due on 8/22. Then last night? When I got home? There was another bill from Entergy due on 8/23 and this total is over $500. Now its the two months combined. I just can't understand how it can be so high. Again its an estimated reading. I know Entergy has been ripping people off left and right since the storm. How can they be almost bankrupt when they are doing that??? Oh yeah, the money is most likely going in higher ups pockets. Bastards.

It really ruined my good mood from last night.

I woke up thinking it was Thursday. To my dismay, I realized I still had to get through today. A Wednesday, however, this Wednesday is a payday. Do the happy dance with me ya’ll. Not only that but the crazies get here today!! I can’t wait. It will be a load of fun. I can’t wait to have a Pimm’s Cup and if they go without me? I will kick some serious ass. Most likely just the Chip Licker’s cuz that will be fun. I may just do it for the fun of it.

At some point in the next 4 days I need to go shopping for the BBQ. When? I have noooo freaking idea!! But it will happen.

I am also still eyeballing TS Chris. It is getting more organized, and is suppose to be a hurricane by tonight or early tomorrow morning. I have looked at two different tracking maps of this storm, and it could just go about anywhere. I was talking to a co-worker and she said that it almost starting to look like a Katrina. Of course we are all a bit punchy right now. Who could blame us?? Last year at this time? No one really paid attention to Tropical Storms as they moved into the Gulf…..what a difference a year makes.

Today is the beginning of MY month. It’s my Birthday Month!! It is going to be a rocking month too. The following goodies are planned in the next month

-Tomorrow Lisa and Mike come to town.
-Thursday there is a Japanese documentary team in town to do a piece on AWK
-Friday is the Pub Crawl on Frenchmen Street
-Saturday its Wrecking, Satchmo Fest and a BBQ at my place. Of course it is the fantastic Kristy K’s Birthday as well!! (I doubt I am going to Satchmo Fest though….wrecking takes precedence) Saturday also happens to by my 2 year mark on living in New Orleans.
-Sunday actually attend Satchmo Fest
-Next Saturday it is a Better Than Ezra show at the CAC
-The following Friday it’s my Bonerama Birthday show. M-n-M must have known when I said something about the show in July being my birthday show that he better get one planned just a bit closer. At least that is what I am choosing to believe.
-That Monday it’s my Birthday. As of right now….no big plans. Will most likely go to Papa Grows Funk at the Maple Leaf that night and cry into my beers that I am not in Brazil with the Bone Boys.
-Tuesday after? I have the day off.
-Then we come up to the year anniversary of Katrina. I don’t know what I am doing. There is a lot planned here in the city.

That is just the things I KNOW are going to happen. I don’t know what else can happen…you never can tell right?

The weekend was for the most part quiet. Actually, it was totally quiet. I am gonna go at this bullet style.

Friday after work I headed home and started in on the whole uploading my CDs to my computer. I am determined to see this project of mine finished. I got distracted for awhile while trying to find a Mulebone cd. The first one. The liner notes are there, the cd is not. I still can't find it and it is driving me totally nuts. Its not in the library, of course I may have to look more there tonight, not in my room, not at work, not in the car. It has just disappeared. It most likely has fallen into oblivion with my favorite tank top which I have not been able to find for months and months. I even broke the bottom drawer out in my dresser thinking maybe the tank fell back there. I have a feeling I may tear the room apart looking for both this evening because it is DRIVING.ME.NUTS.
Saturday Kristen and I headed out to Chalmette and did some wrecking. It was a hot day, but for me it was one of the easier houses that we have worked on. Yeah it was jam packed and the freezer was nastiess, smelliest thing EVAH. However overall? The house was easy to clean out. We have like 2-1/2 rooms that are yet to be cleaned out. The only thing that really really bugged me on Saturday? I was cleaning out a little utility room. It used to be the home of the freezer, washer and dryer. We had to knock down a wall (sheetrock) to even get in the room. Once the appliances were out I was able to shovel the muck out. The muck being the insallation, the ceiling that had caved in and other fun goodies. I am going along just fine....towards the end....a big rat went RUNNING out of the room. The rat doesn't bother me at all. We have come across this before. Instead of running out the doors to outside and freedom, it ran into the back rooms. I yelled out to the others so they knew a rat was coming. Everyone went on a break right after that. I kept working as I only had a few more shovels to go. One of the girls came in to help, right when I went for the last scoop, I heard a squeaking. I had almost shovelled up a baby rat. By baby I mean, eyes still closed ears still back, little bit of fur. I almost squished it. I picked it up (yes I had gloves on) from the pile and took it outside. The poor things sides were puffing out its little heart was breathing so hard. So scared. We cooled it off by sprinkling water on it. It wouldn't leave my hand. It kept clutching on to my fingers. It would burrow into my hand as much as it could. Someone came and told me they could hear the mama in one of the rooms. I took the baby in there and got it to squeak a few times, but we didn't see the mama again. Now I know rats aren't favorites, however this is a BABY! I got it to finally leave my hand in between some studs and where there was still some insallation. Soon after they moved the water heater from that room and they had to drain it in the process. I was afraid the poor baby was going to drown. Right before we left, I went and checked on the baby and it was okay, still nestled up and was moving about. I am going to believe that the mama came back for the baby after everyone left. That the baby isn't suffering and I am going to forget about the fact that I most likely shovelled the other babies up and dumped them in the debris pile.
Saturday night, relaxing and importing cds. I know the craziness of my life is out of control and everyone is so jealous.
Sunday will make ya'll even more jealous. I did laundry and imported even more CDS. I have 50 odd cds still to go. Will the craziness ever end? Not to fear...there will be some fun times ahead as Lisa and fam get to town in a few days.
What is it that screams out loud to everyone, when I am sitting down to eat my lunch at work with my book,come talk to me!! Seriously. I just want to read. Oh well. If that is my only complaint than I should be pretty darn happy. And I am.
Now that I have throughly bored people....I am gonna go obsess about the missing CD and tank top. Who knows? I could maybe find both tonight!

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