Archive for the ‘The Big Easy’ Category

I’m getting ready to write an entry about the 2 year anniversary of Katrina (tomorrow) and I thought maybe I’d post what I wrote at my other site last year for those who didn’t read it then or know nothing of my other site.

August 29, 2006

525,600 minutes.

1 year. 12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days. 525,600 minutes. One year ago tonight, hurricane Katrina sat poised in the Gulf of Mexico, with eyes on New Orleans. Evacuations were ordered, warnings were issued, and then we waited.

You and I, we watched our television, we watched our computer screens and we were overjoyed at the news that the hurricane had weakened before landfall. New Orleanians watched the same news with bated breath, not knowing the fate of their homes, their lives.

At 9:38 am on August 29th, 2005, a levee in the area of Lakeview, Louisiana, burst. Not overflowed, burst. The suburb filled with families, business, schools, memories, was devastated. Levees conitnued to burst all around what was one of the United States’ most historically rich cities.

We saw the images, we heard the stories, we knew it happened, but short of being here, it’s hard to have any idea of what really happened. I don’t claim to know. I probably won’t ever, and I may be the better for it. In New Orleans proper, that’s not including the suburbs, over 200,000 homes were destroyed. Add in the suburbs, the other Gulf Coast areas, and just imagine.

So now, one year older, one year wiser, what can be said of the once booming metropolis? Devastation still surrounds us. When I got lost last week, I saw homes, schools, buildings in shreds. I saw FEMA trailer after FEMA trailer. I saw people, working in their homes, homes that will not be liveable for months, maybe even years, maybe never. I saw the heartache in the faces of my students, I saw the determination in the faces of the homeowners and I think I truly saw the heart of this city. The people that make it what it is.

On this, the one year mark since the most devastating natural disaster in United States history, we have a few choices. We can turn a blind eye to what has happened. It’s easy, and it’s what is often done. We don’t have to pay attention to what we can’t see, simply put, ignorance is bliss. We can pound our fists and scream in anger at all the people who made mistakes. That, too, is an easy response and one we’ve definitely demonstrated. Or we can do what doesn’t come quite as easily for some.

We can fall on our knees, give ourselves to God and ask for His continued presence. We can give thanks for what has regrown and regenerated in the last year, and pray for those people and places still waiting. We can reach out, we can donate, and we can CARE. Maybe if we get enough people to care, we can be a part of the difference. Maybe in a year, I’ll have pictures to show you of the rebirth of this amazing city. Maybe in a year I’ll have stories of the new lives of New Orleanians. Maybe in a year, we can look BACK at what happened, rather than looking directly at it. Maybe.

So, on this the one year anniversary of the most severe natural disaster in United States history, I ask you a question. What will YOU do? How will YOU help?

My answer to those questions remains uncertain. I am trepidatious about what tomorrow will bring. I am unsure of my role here, but I am here and I will be part of the future. I will donate, I will pray, if nothing else, there are 95 girls in this city that know that someone cares about what happens in their life and will fight, on bended knee in prayer, to try and make it better.

And here are a few photos. These are just a few of many and they do not show everything there is to see, so you have to imagine these pictures times 200,000 homes. And remember, these were taken a full year after Katrina hit. A year. 12 months post-Katrina.

I have never supported anything quite like I’ve tried to support the rebuilding of New Orleans. I am so excited for all the new things opening up and the city coming back to life. God knows I’m giving my money to people here (quite happily…until I run out of it) and I try to be a part of the culture. I’m loving this place and everything coming back to life.

Except for the streetcars. Look, it’s not that I don’t think they’ll be awesome, because I do, especially since I live very close to a stop. However, the number of accidents I’m going to be involved in with them is just going to be astronomical. I have been driving here for over a year without ever thinking twice about traffic ON the neutral ground, and all I can say is, I hope the driver of the street car has good reflexes, new breaks and a clean pair of underwear somewhere.

Oh and this? I don’t even want to talk about it.

I was driving (read: speeding like a crazy person because I was running late) to a meeting at work and I was upset because I couldn’t find my bottle of water. Considering that my urinary tract has all but given up the good fight in the past few months, water is pretty much my life.

After searching and searching for that stupid bottle of water I exclaimed in exasperation, “I just want some stupid water!”

Okay, maybe “stupid” wasn’t the word that I used. Nevertheless, at that very instant, it started POURING outside. Which was awesome since I took my umbrella out of my car yesterday.

I do not heart the weather in NOLA.

I haven’t talked much about life back in NOLA, and that’s most because it’s been a little crazy. The Fiance is now in the stage in medical school where he’s in the hospital doing all the hands-on training, and through no fault of his, he had a crazy schedule. He has to be at the hospital at between 5:30 and 6 each morning, which means he gets up at 4:30 in the morning. I love him, but I do not get up to see him off. Somedays he’s done moderately early (like by 5), others he’s there until 7ish. And then, naturally, given the time he gets up, he’s going to bed early. Then there’s nights like tonight where he’s on call and it really doesn’t make any sense for him to come home at all, so he’ll be at the hospital until after I leave for work tomorrow morning.

I feel like I’m getting a glimpse into what our future holds, and perhaps surprisingly, I’m pretty pleased. No, I don’t enjoy him being gone or going to bed at 9:30, but I’m seeing a new side of us that I really like. See, here’s the thing- his hours? they blow, pretty hard. My work right now? blows pretty hard too. Not seeing him at all like today? blows super hard. But, all that said, we’re making it work. And yea, it’s early and I’m being idyllic, but hell, that’s a good thing.

Today, knowing that I wasn’t going to get to see him, he called and we arranged dinner together at the hospital. It didn’t work out like we’d planned because he had to scrub in for surgery, but I got to see his pretty blue eyes for 10 minutes and quickly talk about the highs and lows of the day and it was nice. And he made a big point to stress that tomorrow is a night for just us, and it just warms my heart to know that even though his life is currently a mess of surgery, vaginas (did I mention he’s on OB right now?), rounds, etc., he’s making time for us. It’s just something that I didn’t expect from him. Not that I didn’t think he was capable, because he’s pretty incredible, but it was so very sensitive and kind that it just made my otherwise crappy day, pretty darn good. If only he had a good cure for headaches, then there’d be no questions at all (joking of course…mostly).

Being married to a brilliant doctor won’t be easy and it won’t always be a ton of fun, but it is something we will make work because it’s worth it. Because we’re worth it.

Yes, I have until 1:30 tomorrow to savor the beauty of vacation.

And you know how I’ll enjoy that day off? Oh, let me just give you my vacation to-do list.

-call the doctor (because my kidneys have begun their revolt)
-unpack (all my happy crap…)
-laundry (where all my happy crap is going before it gets put away)
-grocery store (because we literally have no food or beverages)
-shopping (because I NEED a new outfit)
-bank (deposit a check to pay off a teensy tiny fraction of my credit card bill)
-bills/mail (I have a stack the size of, well a big stack of mail/bills)
-call dr. t/appt/billing (this is a very very long story)
-call apple (because my charger stopped working for no apparent reason)
-activate WaMu check card (because I NEED another check card)

So those 31 hours are sure to be well spent, but it doesn’t matter, I’m home in New Orleans, so I’ll do it all with a big smile on my sweaty face.

So I couldn’t be happier to be headed home on Friday, but I find myself, all of a sudden in a whole new world. You see, unlike New Orleans, in Los Angeles, I have friends. Like lots of them. Which I’ve never had (I’m not trying to brag, I swear). I have so many that I’m having to rather frequently decide which ones to hang out with and I’m getting shit for not spending enough time with others. I’ve been in a lot of friend situations, but being in high demand has never been one of them.

It’s not a bad thing, but I’m unsure of how to break these ties, seeing as how I’ve never really had any before. And there’s a small part of me that really hopes that I’ve made a change that’s going to make me suddenly a friend magnet when I get back to New Orleans (as opposed to a friend maggot, which is what I typed originally. Yay for proofreading). Perhaps it’s the showering on a regular basis that has changed my friend-ability. Or brushing my teeth daily. Who knows?

So I leave for New Orleans on Friday!!!!! (have I mentioned that before this? Really, I have? Weird), and I’m just checking out some details of the trip before I leave. Because, you know, that means I can put off packing for one more day.

So first I go to the National Hurricane Center (my current obsession) to see what the “Tropical Weather Outlook” is for the next few days. There’s a tropical storm out in the mid-Atlantic, but I’m rather unconcerned about that one. It’s this one (listed down further) that I’m more concerned about. It’s been looking like it has potential to form a tropical storm for several days and it’s just not quitting. Not cool Windward Islands, not cool. I’m more than a little concerned.

And then, for a good measure, I start looking at weather predictions for this weekend, for the road trip. And at EVERY CITY along the way, Thunderstorms are predicted when we’re planning on driving through.

So yea, um, if I don’t make it to New Orleans, assume it’s because after watching a lightning storm I locked myself in a hotel room and have taken to sitting in the corner humming to myself.

One week from tomorrow and I begin the journey home.

I’m more excited than a fat kid in a candy store, nay, a candy universe.

We have the deposit sorted out, NO thanks to the people at WaMu. And by the way, the list of people that my WaMu anger includes has grown exponentially since this morning.

You see, first I called WaMu central headquarters and got no help, just the information that half the money would be released on Friday, which is one week after it was deposited. Then, at the recommendation of The Fiance, I called the guy who set up our account, who was not in. I did talk to someone at that branch who encouraged me to call back Monday (despite my explaining that we had to give the deposit Sunday…). Then The Fiance called WaMu central who directed them to the branch where my mom had deposited the money, because according to everyone, they’re who had the hold. Well, everyone lies, because they don’t have a hold. And the bank manager told The Fiance that just because someone tells us something doesn’t mean it’s true or that they have to follow it. Man, their customer service is just fan-freaking-tastic. I’m just so impressed. Way to wine-and-dine me.

Apparently the hold is because my mom deposited such a big amount at once, which is interesting since the guy who opened our account said it wouldn’t matter. Everyone we talked to was happy to point out that they’d cleared 100 dollars of the deposit, and let’s just say that those declarations weren’t met with a whole lot of enthusiasm from us.

So after discovering that we couldn’t wire the money without my mom calling and stopping the check, which would then earn me a 25 dollar fine (not for overdrawing my account, for depositing a stopped check, don’t even get me started on how completely and totally stupid that rule is), we figured out a different method. I had to call and check with the wedding place, but everything’s a go.

Speaking of going, The Fiance is back in New Orleans, which means I’m terribly lonely and jealous. He’s out playing with friends and I’m staying at The Fiance’s parent’s house, with my Future Father-in-law (who is actually a very nice guy and who I just sat with for 2 hours flipping through wedding and baby albums). I feel like singing the Cheers themesong, I want to be where everybody knows my name, and they’re all glad I came. I never thought when I moved to New Orleans that I’d be homesick for it while in California, but all I’d like right now is to be with my guy and my cat in my house near my (few) friends and familiar places.

Like I said, the original crisis has been averted, so now we’re ready for all the new ones, not including the general melancholy which has returned to my life and the fact that I sunburned my whole backside, including my ass when I fell asleep by the pool today. Woe is me.

I sat down at a table for lunch yesterday with my coworkers and not one, not two, not three, but four people opened up an individual baggy of crackers (like saltines) and BUTTERED them.

And then ate them.

With butter on them. In public. Buttered crackers in public. There is a joke to be made here, I’m too busy gagging to find it.