Mixed Bag

Since I haven't written, this post is a summary of the last two weeks of activity.....

Going back to my last post...had a great time meeting up with Dr. Sullivan and his students. Went to Sidney's Saloon (Kermit's place) and waited around for about 2 hours for the Rebirth to show up and then they only played for about 25 minutes. Not sure what happened there but it was all good, they at least had a DJ.

January 6th - Twelfth Night - the kick off of Carnival Season in New Orleans, King Cake and all that stuff. In past years I've kind of shunned Mardi Gras (I've only ever dressed up once) because, unfortunately, many people only come to Mardi Gras to see boobs, get drunk, and throw up or pee in the French Quarter. Just not a pleasant scene if you live here. But after watching the show Treme's representation of locals' Mardi Gras it made me want to give it another shot. I do have a costume in mind and I will be masking Mardi Gras this year. Anyone want to join me?

On Saturday 1/8 we had Jack and the students over to our place for red beans, drinks, and King Cake. Got to interact with them more than in the bar and they were a nice group of people who seemed to be enthusiastic about New Orleans. Had a great time! Unfortunately, the Saints lost in the first round of the playoffs that afternoon to the losing Seattle Seahawks. Oh well, life goes on.

The next day...the dogs of the land rejoiced when Mike Vick and the Eagles were knocked out by Green Bay.

Friday 1/14.....Found out this afternoon that someone I've known since childhood passed away. The slap in the face of mortality when someone around your age dies is very hard to shake. Through the "magic" of the internet we've all reconnected through facebook, and the sorrow felt by her family and friends is very real and penetrating. But the love is felt also. Makes you realize that everyone should treat each other well because life is very short.

This past weekend found me enjoying stress-free playoff football. And we even made it out for a bit on Saturday night. Hit the Hermes Bar at Antoine's for Paul Sanchez and Debbie Davis - loved them and the bar! Then moved on to the Bombay Club for the Leroy Jones Quartet. Always love Leroy and had the BEST chocolate martini, but the space is kind of dark and really pricey. A nice evening though and we went to two places that we'd never been before, which is always a good thing.

Overall I feel like I've made improvement about getting out and trying to make the most of  life. And so far I have some exciting things in the hopper for this year. I'm looking forward to it all!!

Oh, and I can't sign off before mentioning that a co-worker brought cupcakes from Sucre' in to work yesterday.......flippin' FABULOUS! Not only did they taste heavenly, they were gorgeous! Bravo!

Where It All Began

My first trip to New Orleans was back in 1996 with a college professor. And no, it wasn't as lurid as that sounds. As I was finishing up my accounting degree at Rider I saw an American Studies course that looked to be right up my alley (and would complete an elective requirement). The class was "The New South in Literature, Music, and Film" and the professor was Dr. Jack Sullivan. It was my first exposure to Tennessee Williams's "A Streetcar Named Desire". Though the class was an abbreviated summer class, Jack and I formed a bond and became friends. He even tried to persuade me to change my major to American Studies. As attractive as that was, my degree was only a short distance away and the thought of starting over (again) was overwhelming. I took another of his classes and at the end I received my degree. That was also when Jack told me about New Orleans. He said that he brings a class to NOLA every year because he considers it the most unique American city, perfect for American Studies credits. He told me he thought I would love it and encouraged me to accompany them. I did, and the rest is history. I couldn't have had a better guide. We saw The Nightcrawlers at Donna's, Kermit (with BBQ on his pick up) at Vaughn's, Leroy Jones at Preservation Hall. Some of whom I am fortunate enough to consider friends to this day. We ate memorable meals (most memorable was at Emeril's NOLA where I ate myself sick) and saw beautiful sights. By the end of that first trip I knew New Orleans would be my home some day. And now it is. I'm writing this because Jack and his class of 20 students are arriving this afternoon and I'm excited. Over the years I haven't always been able to meet up with them for various reasons but I always love the idea of people being exposed to my adopted city for the first time. I love seeing and hearing their reactions to it, and always wonder if one of them will feel the pull that I felt. And it was a pull, when I went home after that first trip I was constanly wondering what was going on down here. That wonder never went away. I also credit that first trip with motivating me to get out of an awful, stagnant, four year relationship. Life's  possibilities were endless to me after spending time in this city. I always hope that another student will feel this. I'll be meeting up with them this evening and heading over to Kermit's bar (Sidney's) to see the Rebirth (Brass Band). Maybe I can make them see just a bit of what I see.