Waiting for the Midol to kick in

Seriously...I woke up at 6 AM, a full half hour before I needed to be up. Freezing my ass off. Yet none of us in the house thought we needed to turn on the heat last night. We figured that once we were asleep it would be okay. Plus something about not wanting to pay for the outrageous gas prices.....It was okay when we were asleep, but I must have kicked off the covers at one point or something...but I woke up too early because you know that half hour makes a difference. But I was in a bad, bad mood. I hate PMS. I took a dose of Midol when I got to work, and am now feeling much better. Maybe it also helps that the people here where I am temping are really nice and friendly. Also the fact that Harry (as in Connick Jr.) will be on the Christmas tree lighting special tonight may be a good thing, and Craig is playing at the Palm Court tonight and we are going. I need to decide if I am going to go after the tree lighting special or before. I am pretty sure Lisa and Scott are recording it for me, so I can watch it when I got to Phoenix for Christmas. Grace is going with me and she wants to eat dinner at Palm Court. I think Roger and Elyse are going as well. The gumbo at Palm Court is pretty darn good....

I didn't get any of my errands done last night. Why? Because for some strange reason I thought the bank was open until 5. I don't know why I had that in my head. They close at 4. So I had no money to get the things I needed. And then my car started doing some serious overheating. I added more coolant yesterday when I got home and it did much better this morning. So today at lunch I get to spend it standing in line at the bank. Then to errands running. I live an exciting life don't I????

Counting down.....

To the end of the day. One of the things I love about this temp job I am working at is the hours...yes 7:30 AM is early, but when you get off work at 4??? It's kinda nice. I am ready to go home and collapse today, I went to Maple Leaf last night. It was a preventative measure of sorts, in hopes that I didn't get more phone calls in the early AM. I stayed for first set and then headed home. As I was leaving I was told "make sure the ringer on your phone is off!!" Great advice but I use my phone for my alarm clock.....I didnt get any calls. Then I realize that I can't go home to collapse. I need to go home to get the pieces from my toilet that need to be repaired, so when I go to Ace they know what I am talking about. I need to go to the bank and get money out as I have yet to receive my debit card or checks. Who knows what mail limbo that is in? I also need to go and pick up some different kitty litter. I had a very nice person offer to go pick me some up last week when I was waiting for the Entergy guy to show up, and what they brought back was okay at first...kinda....its that Tidy Cat for small spaces. It has this orangey scent that wafts through the air after the cats use the box. Now? It is the most ghastly smell...it makes me gag. I would almost rather smell the cat piss. Seriously, its that bad. Time to dispose of that litter. So lots of running around, and I will be able to get it done while its still fairly early, but the idea of just going home and napping is soooo appealing.

Weekend Is over....

Just a quick note...while drunk phone calling is fun and often quite hilarious for all involved...drunk calling someone at 3:00 AM then again at 3:15 AM because they didn't pick up the phone, on a Sunday night (rather Monday morning) is so not cool. Actually it was kinda funny, but dang that's early when you have to get out of bed at 6:30 AM. John said he was calling to reprimand me, as I had said on Thursday night that I would go to his gig on Friday night at Maple Leaf....I did not go....therefore the drunken phone call. I am gonna have to go tonight or he will call again.

I drove out to Lakeview and the 9th Ward yesterday. It was about time. I saw Fats Domino's house, covered in spray paint that said "RIP Fats" and "You will be missed" People did this before they realized that he did actually make it out of the city alive. While the destruction and devastation out there is...well there is no words to describe it, there was one thing out there that was very nice. There were people. Both in the 9th Ward and Lakeview. Not a whole lot, not like where I live....but there were people. Cleaning, working on their houses, trying to put their lives back together. Its hard because a lot of those people don't know what to do, if they will ever get to live in that area again.....it has to be hard to have your life just ripped away like that. There are many people out there that don't think that NOLA should be rebuild. That we are "dumb" enough to live out here, where hurricanes are a threat. Well, most people here don't live in fear. Hell if you want to think like that, then why do you live in a house made out of wood, cuz if it burns, well you were dumb enough to live in a house made out of wood, if there is a heavy rain and the river's/streams by you flood, you were dumb enough to live close to those areas, if you have a car accident, well you were dumb enough to get in the car, if the bank you go to was robbed while you were there, you were dumb enough to bank there. The excuse that we shouldn't live here because of hurricanes and that the city is below sea level is just, well lame. You can live in fear or you can live. I chose to live. There are people who just see the bad that down here. Well the bad down here is that the city is struggling to survive. There aren't crazy looters running the street, there aren't shootings, in fact this city is the safest it has been in a long long time. But people don't want to see that. I feel sorry for the people who don't understand that live is coming back to the city. That there are grocery stores open, restaurants, bars, clubs, retail stores, movie theaters.....they are open. Yeah some places are still closed and it will be awhile before they are open, but there is some nomalcy down here. Life is continuing on, and it will next year after hurricane season.

Wow

Its been a good Thanksgiving...although I am still having a hard time with the whole, "its the holidays" I still think its August....and the weather outside right now is horrendous. Its pouring rain, lots o wind and some lightning. I didn't see the boy on Thanksgiving as planned....he didn't make his flight. But he will be here tomorrow night!!! Late...but he will still be here. I am very excited. I had a great interview on Friday that may lead to a very, very, very good job and career change. I don't want to jinx it too much....so that is the extent of that.....I saw Spike Lee today too. cool. live moves on.

Can I get a Hell Yeah???

I had a hot shower this morning. I had a warm shower yesterday. I ran the dishwasher, twice. I had a home cooked meal, made on my own stove, twice yesterday. Breakfast and dinner. Life was pretty darn sweet yesterday. I loved the fact that when I got out of the shower, I could hear kids playing in the park across the street...it was a sweet sweet sound. Grace and I have been reveling in the small things that are happening around town. Her favorite moment yesterday was driving by a house totally decked out for Christmas. We drank lots of wine, and there was many great convos. Debbie and I share a love for musicals, and I think we started to bore Matt after awhile....we just kept talking about them and actors on Broadway. She is all about going to NYC to see Harry in the Pajama Game.

I get to go and see Rent tonight at 7:40, and am very very excited to see this on the big screen. Tomorrow, I get to sleep in, watch the parade, have a wonderful dinner and Roger and Elyse's and then go to the Bonerama show. Its going to be a nice weekend.

Fluke

We went back to Donna's last night....the smell in the bathroom is back. Its so back to normal. ;) They did paint the place and not all the pictures are back up, but the one's Sheik did of Leroy and Craig are up!!! We got to talk to Uncle Lionel...one of the last living New Orleans music legands....and had a long talk with Donna herself. She is such a busy woman!!! It was fantastic. The weekend was crazy with lots of running around with our guests, I can't wait to see them when they come back in Jan. Tomorrow will be spent waiting for the gas guys....I can't wait for a hot shower. I can't wait to shave my legs!!! Seriously...shaving your legs when your skin is all prickly doesn't feel all that good. So its been like 2 weeks since I have shaved my legs, and I am almost all out of clean long pants!! I am furry and really hate it.

Ya know that saying when it rains it pours? That is happening right now....hopefully I will have everything figured out by the end of the week....its a good rain....its exciting and confusing....I can't wait to share....but it will have to wait just a bit. Don't want to jinx anything just yet.

Normalcy

I went to Donna's last night for the first time since my birthday party there. They have made some changes....the most important one in my mind???? The bathrooms don't stink like mildew anymore. I am in total shock. And quite possibly in denial. I am going back tonight with some friends to find out for sure if I was smelling goodness. Only a few more days till I get to see the boy, and I am very excited, its for a very short time, but will be worth it. Come the new year I should be able to get to see him a whole lot more....and that is a good thing.

Started Early

I started the weekend early. Last night I went out with some new friends, and had a blast. We had this very yummy dinner on Frenchmen's street, then went to see the Jazz Vipers and then Washboard Chaz at Apple Barrel. I just have to say that I :heart: Debbie Davis aka Mrs. Matt Perrine. She had me rolling last night.....she pretty much rocks like her husband does. Now for the crazy weekend ahead. I can't wait to see the Griz/Cat game. Last year there was a party hosted at Cooter Brown's, just down the street from my house. I talked to the people that had hosted it, and they are holding it in Monroe this year. She said a guy from FEMA also called her asking about it. She gave me the info to get the game on Satelitte, so I am gonna go down to Cooter Brown's and hopefully they will turn it on for me!!!! Otherwise I will go to the coffee shop and watch it online. Its the 105th meeting...the Griz have one 65 of those games.

Cold Front

I think I am just a big old baby when it comes to cold weather now. You think I would be used to it after living in Montana for 14 years and in Washington for 7. But I love the warmth and the humidity. It is 43 outside right now...well it may have warmed up, but earlier this morning? It was 43. Not sure how cold it actually got to be...but I was freezing this morning. The cold shower was the worst.thing.ever. Only 4 more days until the gas gets turned back on at my house. Only 4 more days until I can have a hot shower. I was fine in my bed last night, since we don't have heat either. I had a comforter, several blankets, sweats and the kitty to keep me warm, but damn. I think we may have to go get a small space heater tonight. We have guests coming to stay tonight until Monday. They are cool with no hot water, but I don't want them to freeze to death!!! Oh and to top off all this fun?? My throat started getting scratchy last night. This morning its still there. I loaded up on vitamins...and am starting to get that I am so sleepy can barely keep my eyes open or lift my limbs feeling. Real excited about having another cold. I did finally manage to get a TON of cleaning done this week though. I did laundy, put all that away. Scrubbed the bathroom, rearranged my bedroom and got rid of a ton of clutter. And by rid of I mean I hid it better, moved my books in the library so I can access them better. I still have a few things left to do. I have all the storage bins to put up in the attic....the ones that had been previously in the basement and are all empty and scrubbed cleaned, and I have some of the items that had been in the basement that need to be cleaned and found a home.
But...that's for another day.

Time Flies

Time does not always fly when your having fun but when your in the midst of a catastrophe. I don't remember where Sept or Oct went. They just blew right past me while I was in a daze. I am having a hard time believing that in a little over a week it will be Thanksgiving. Next thing I will know it will be Christmas. That is insane to me right now. My roomie and I were talking a bit about getting a Christmas tree for the house this year. I would love a new one, but well I don't know how many will be down here this year. It also may not be a good idea with the infestation of "coffin flies". These nasty little gnat like creatures have taken over the city...they are everywhere and sooooo hard to get rid of. My poor Liza has to fight to get to her food. Actually I have stopped giving her so much, trying to estimate how much she eats each time, and washing her bowl out every time I get her some new food. Of course she is now waking me up at 3 in the morning because she is hungry and her bowl is empty. Yesterday when I got home there must have been like 50 of these flies on the 10 pieces of food she didn't eat.

But I will deal with the flies...cuz I am home.

It's about time

I wrote the following on Thursday night, well typed it up but the coffee house I was at (and am at right now) was having issues and I couldn't get online. But here it is. Not that it was worth the wait and aggrevation. The last thing I wanted to do last night was to come down here and get online. I almost did though at one point, as the boy sent a pic to my camera, and I don't have a camera phone. But it tells me to go online to view the pic. I restrained myself however. :)

I don’t think I have stopped moving all week. I am looking forward to the weekend, so I can sleep. Maybe I will have enough energy to actually rearrange my room like I had planned last weekend. Yesterday when I got home from work Roger, Elyse, Amy and Bobby came over to pick up most of the furniture that had been left downstairs. All that is left is the ottoman and dining room table. The dresser for Leroy and Katja will either be moved upstairs or to Elyse’s for them to get when they get back from Finland. The furniture move lasted for about an hour and a half, not sure what the landlords will do with the other things left (food, clothes, books, and other random items). We then had a potential roomie come look at the place. That could be interesting if he moves in. By the time he left it was time to run to Palm Court to see Leroy and Katja. They had some mail for me, plus I wanted to see them before they left. I got home earlier than "normal’ around 11:30ish. That’s not so early when you have to be at work at 7:30 AM. Today after work I am hoping that I can rest a bit. However I think Roger and Elyse may pick up the rest of their things. Carol had also told me last night that Rock-N-Bowl is opening for the first time since the storm. That is kinda "I gotta be there for that!!" We will see how I do. I also hope to get online tonight. I am actually handwriting this at work right now. I am sharing a desk with someone right now and she has work to do and I am just answering the phones. Once I am more acculmated to the place, and her computer is up and running, they will give me more work to do. My co-worker showed me pictures of her house yesterday, she lived in Violet whichis in St. Bernard Parish. They were amazing and heartbreaking. Her "SO" lived by Murphy so all his stuff is covered in oil, from the spill that happened. She also showed me a great website www.sbpg.net that has a link for photos. We just clicked on the first link on that page and it took us to a site that had about 25-30 more links. All pics from the St. Bernard Parish. I think its important that people see these. While Orleans parish was hit hard, so were these areas. While I can go and sit in the Quarter and have an amazing bowl of Gumbo, have some wine, hear music, live in my house (roughing it according to some) the people that live in St. Bernard Parish may NEVER get to go home. They literally lost everything. I am continually reminded how lucky I am, how amazing my friends and family are. The city and surrounding areas are struggling hard and its going to be a long uphill battle, but it’s a battle that will be won.

This was the entry I typed up for yesterday. I haven't had time to post it until now. I am a day behind on everything today. Again, lots more running around today, 2 interviews, getting lost in Metarie, windows didn't work on my car on my trip to my first interview. They have worked since then and before then. So I showed up to my first interview a sweaty mess. I need good car karma please. And I need to eat again.


Progress Made
Today was a very productive day. I ended up going to the Westbank, doing the testing and all that fun stuff for the agency. By the time I got home I had at least 4 voice mails for other interviews. By the time I finished listening to them, I had a phone call from the agency I had just been at, they offered me a reception position at a company in the CBD. I am going to start there on Wed. I am however going to have 2 interviews tomorrow. The position starting on Wed. is a long term temp, with the possibility of a permanent position. Work is a good thing. I asked if I could start on Wed rather than tomorrow, because I need to get the car insured, licensed and get my LA licensed. I found out that my unemployment has finally arrived, so have been trying to arrange how I will get it from where it was sent. I am also getting my FEMA check tomorrow. So money coming in will be a good thing. The girls that lived downstairs came for the last time this weekend. They left a lot of things behind, one of them gave me a key, and I have been doling out the left over furniture to the people that don’t have anything. Most of it is now claimed and going to good homes. We finally got a dorm fridge this weekend thanks to Annette, cold soda, water and beer!! Things are coming together nicely, and that is a good thing. We just need to find a roomie for our extra room. The hope is to have someone by Dec. 1. I am less stressed than I was this morning. I am so so so tired right now. It was just a crazy hectic day, another one tomorrow, then I start work. I have a feeling that some Tylenol pm will be taken tonight so I can have a good night’s sleep. Maybe eating more than one meal a day would be a good thing too. I can’t make anymore coherent thoughts right now. Not that they have been coherent anyway.

So Much to say

And I have no energy to write about it. I have a job interview-ish this afternoon. I am going into the agency that is doing the search for a company, fill out some paperwork and then they will set up an interview with the company itself. The weekend was busy, I don't feel as though I really rested at all. Which is good, but now today I am just exhausted. Lots of music and hanging out with friends. That is a good thing. Let's just leave it for now with the military guys seem to like Leroy and Katja's music cuz they were at Vaughn's (dancing in fatigues) on Friday night and last night at Palm Court taking pics and enjoying the music.

One week in

Today I didn't see ANY job postings that I wanted to apply for. Kinda depressing. Kinda not. Dia called me last night to tell me that I got another FEMA check in the mail. My roomie had gotten her's awhile back. It will definetly help. I did go ahead and sent my resume into Offbeat, to see if they needed anyone for anything. I am not holding my breath for that one, but you never know.

Also, can you believe my roomie and I have been thinking its cold out at night??? We were talking about it last night, and we were trying to decide what she should take on her trip to NY, I said well its been about 50 at night. Um WRONG. The weather came on right after that and it was 65!!! I think we have been used to the warm weather here.

On the tire front, she dropped off the tire yesterday and they said to call back at 5 to see if it was done. It was, but we got there after it closed due to traffic. So Lee is coming to get me at some point today and we will get that all fixed up!! :)

And it continues.

I spent yesterday and today sending out resumes for office work. I am hoping for at least ONE interview from one of these places. There are jobs out there, but I tend to forget that things move a bit slower down here in the south. So maybe I shouldn't freak that I haven't heard from anyone just yet. This weekend I am gonna go down to LMF (maybe tomorrow) and a few other places in the Quarter to try to find work doing retail or something. I kinda just want to be working. Doing something. This not working thing is starting to get to me. Need to be busy. The first few days it was fine, as I was busy, doing fun stuff. I am gonna rearrange my room today I think. Or at some point this weekend.

Kristen and I changed our first flat tire ever. Actually we are halfway through the job. My tire is in the back of her car right now, and she is gonna get it fixed for me after work. Fingers crossed that they aren't too busy and she doesn't have to leave it there for a few days. She is going out of town this weekend...I know a few people who could give me a ride to pick it up, but am really hoping I can have my car this weekend.

Let me tell you about the weather here right now. It is BEAUTIFUL!!! Shorts and a tank top today!!! That really helps that we don't need the AC or the heat right now. It's kinda cold at night, but I am fine with just my comforter and some warm socks on my feet. Oh and a kitty curled up next to me!!!

Being Home
I wrote this yesterday, and when out walking down Oak street to see if the Ace Hardware store was open, I found out that Rue de la Course was open. So here I am.
It is now Tuesday Nov. 1st. I have been back in NOLA since Friday. The trip home started around 9 on Friday morning, and went for the most part smoothly. Liza didn’t like being in her crate, or the car so she let me know, with 2 hours of meowing. Very loud meowing. I eventually let her out of the crate and she would settle herself either on the floor behind my seat or back in the crate, with the door open. Around the time I hit Alexandria, LA I noticed that the car was running a lot warmer than it had been. I stopped at a gas station and with some help from some nice guys (they worked with Coke and had just left NOLA) they helped me add water and coolant to the car. One of the guys noticed that the radiator cap wasn’t that great. So with some directions I was able to find an automotive store, purchase a new radiator cap, and an hour later I was on the road again. The car ran fine until I hit Baton Rouge. It would have run fine through there as well, except I hit BR at rush hour. And if you didn’t know, BR has almost tripled in size since the storm. To make it from one end of the city to the other, it took an hour where we were going maybe 5 mph. It reminded me of the trip OUT of NOLA. Although a tad bit faster. The car was starting to run hot again, since I was just sitting there. Once I got to an exit, I pulled off, got some gas, some food and let the car sit for awhile. I hit the road again around 7 and made it home at 8. 11 hours later I was home. I had gotten a call from my friends Roger and Elyse when I was crossing the lake. They told me that they were going to Maple Leaf. Brotherhood of the Groove was playing, and with the cover fee, you got a free ticket to the NOLA portion of Voodoo. How could I pass that up?? After unloading the cat and the car, I headed out to the Leaf for a few hours. It was fantastic to get to see Roger and Elyse finally. There was a fair amount of people out, a bit more than a few weeks before. I really realized I was home as the music was playing and we were dancing away. At the set break, I called it a night and headed home to sleep. I was suppose to meet with a FEMA rep at 9:30 on Saturday, however, he came on Friday to meet with Kristen. Since we were both on the lease, she was able to sign the paper work for me. So after sleeping in a bit, I started the fun task of unpacking and trying to make my room look normal again. I had moved furniture away from the windows before leaving, among other things. Kristen and I headed out to Voodoo around 4. By the time we got there, they weren’t even taking tickets anymore. We caught some of Cowboy Mouth’s set. They had started a bit late, and Bonerama was suppose to be starting at 5, so we saw about 4 songs. We then walked over the WWOZ stage, and I said to Kristen "That’s not Bonerama on stage setting up" Turns out it was Big Sam. That stage was running about a set behind. However just off the side of the stage was Roger, Elyse, Craig, and Mark. Kristen got to meet all the guys as they all eventually came over to where we were. It was her first time seeing the guys play live. She said she LOVED it!! It was amazing to be at the first NOLA show that Bonerama played. It was a short set, but it was fantastic. The day couldn’t have been any better. Weather was fantastic and everyone was very happy to be there. Even the military helicopters that flew over didn’t really have any effect on anyone. After the gig, we hung and talked for awhile, then Kristen and I headed home and collapsed. We had a few people staying with us that night, so we got to entertain them for a bit. I had been planning on going out for a bit on Saturday since there was a lot going on music wise. However I was too tired to do that. I didn’t get to see Adam and Carrie either, they spent most of the day dealing with their storage unit and decided to just start heading home. I was bummed that I didn’t get to see them, but totally understand they had to head out of town. Sunday morning started early, as our guests got up early to head out to their house to start cleaning up. They had just gotten home for the first time the day before. I headed over to Roger and Elyse’s for dinner before the Bonerama gig at the Maple Leaf. They live a block and a half away from the Leaf. A few of us headed over to the Leaf and enjoyed a set by the guys. They normally play two sets, but it was a small crowd. A bit smaller than it had been on Friday night, but since it was a Sunday I wasn’t all that surprised. I would guess that there was maybe 50-75 people there at one point. The last time the guys played the Leaf was about 2 weeks before the storm. It was kinda surreal to see them on their "home turf" since 9 weeks ago, I wasn’t sure I was going to EVER get to see that again. I even sold some merch for the guys that night. Normally I have the merch towards the back by the sound booth, but I decided to move up to about half way in the room. Yesterday, I did read through the Sunday job classifieds, and then went out to try to find some wireless. I had heard Coop’s had free wireless, but it wasn’t connecting on my computer. I heard from Katja when I was finishing up lunch and they had wireless at their house. So I headed over there and ended up chatting most of the time I was there, and gave Katja her birthday presents. I got online for about 20 mins and applied to a few jobs. By then it was time to head home. The boy needed to use my car for a few minutes, which he ended up getting a flat tire. We didn’t notice it until we were getting ready to leave for d.b.a we had to borrow my roomie’s car for the evening. Frenchmen’s street was HOPPING. The energy was amazing down there. I set up the merch right in front of the stage, this was Bonerama’s first gig EVER at d.b.a I saw my co-worker that I had evacuated with, among several other people that I hadn’t seen in awhile. By the time the guys started playing? The room was PACKED. Wall to wall people. Everyone was dancing, and yelling, and just having an amazing time. I hadn’t seen energy like that at a Bone show in a long, long time. Only 2 of the guys really dressed up in costume. Matt and Mark. Matt was Harriet Miers, with a sign pinned on his tummy that said George W. Jr. It was freaking hysterical. Mark, well he was hippy/glam. Velvet and leather. The hat with the flower was a nice touch. John Boutte even got on stage at one point and sang with the guys. All too soon it was over.
When the boy and I left it was after the 2 AM curfew. We had to go through a military checkpoint to get home, and just across from the park, there was a few military cars for another checkpoint. When we got out of the car, a cop car came by and made sure we knew we had to be inside since it was past curfew. On one hand to see all the security. Almost reassuring. On the other, its "Holy crap, the military is here, by my HOUSE" In fact as I have been writing this a humvee/jeep went by my house filled with military. Its very odd. Today I am homebound until my roomie can give me a ride to a tire shop. The spare, well the tread on that is ripping. So I am tire-less right now. That’s okay. I needed to get some rest after 4 nights of dancing my ass off. I may have worked off a 1/4 of the food I ate in TX. I am sooo glad to be home. The city is trying, at least the citizens in the city, are trying to get life back to normal. In some ways its happening. In others, it will be a long time before the city feels right. There are some areas I drove through yesterday and was shocked by the damage. And those weren’t even the worst areas!!! This post has been more about the fun I have had since being home. In most because I want to show people how life is being restored here in the city. Its weird to be here, but at the same time I am so happy to be home. Hopefully I will have the tires fixed tomorrow and I can get out to a coffee shop on Magazine and post this, as well as do some more job hunting. NOLA is alive. She will survive.