Sadness

I hate it when bad things happen to good people. In the past two days, several people have had heartaches fall upon them. Both I have "met" via the online world. One I have even met in real life. There is no words that can express the sympathy I feel for them.

Weekend Wrap Up

Friday night was an amazing night of music. It was Paul Sanchez, Sonia Tetlow, Mary Lasange, David Torkanowsky and the drummer from the Iguana's. It was shorter sets as Paul still wasn't feel all that great, but you couldn't tell. The music was ON FIRE. Really, there was no other way to put it. There was a fun group of people there, including Chris Rose. Shelley, Paul's wife said I could come visit her on the set of K-Ville when she starts back up to work in a few weeks. WHOO HOO!! :) After Paul finished it was time to head to the Leaf and hear the rest of Tony Hall's set. Amazing.....then off to home. I didn't move much of Saturday. I tried watching a few movies, only to fall asleep within in 5 mins of each one. I guess my body was just tired.

That evening I went over to some friend's where we ate a lot of food and drank beer. It was nice to get to meet their neighbors and hear some interesting stories about a few people we all know....It was nice.

Yesterday I caught up on some tivo, finished up a book (I kinda gave up keeping track of the 50 book challenge....I have read at least 10-15 that haven't been put up here if not more) ran some errands, cleaned the house and watched a few movies. I caught "The Holiday" which was sweet and Marie Antoinette. I found this movie to be MUCH better than Sophia Coppola's last one. (it was soooo boring, Lost in Translation) it was visually beautiful. A little weird in areas, like the flashing of banners on a painting. It told the story, yet didn't. I felt there was so much more that could have been told, and the ending was way to abrupt for me, yet I still enjoyed the movie.

More

Last night I headed out to d.b.a again for what has become a Thursday night tradition. For June anyway. Paul Sanchez has been having weekly gigs there. When I got there, I found out that Paul was actually under the weather so the other two people that was going to play with him played. Sonia Tetlow and David Torkanowsky. And it was amazing. Sonia has some amazing songs, I am sitting here listening to her CD and realizing what an incredible musician she is. I knew she was a good bass player, having heard her play with Cowboy Mouth. (She is no longer with the band) but I never really heard her play the guitar or sing. Now I am sad that Paul wasn't feeling well, however it gave me the chance to experience new music. David continues to amaze me because he had never heard any of her songs and you couldn't tell at all. He also did an amazing version of "When My Dreamboat".

Tonight is a bit of a pickle. Paul is scheduled to play at Carrollton Station tonight. Sonia is also playing with him. Also just up the street? At the Maple Leaf? It is Tony Hall. I mean last Friday no one I really cared to see was playing and now 2 in one night? I love these kind of pickles and have a feeling I will be doing a bit of back and forth there. Once again I love this town.

I am also in love with the Voo Doo Fest line up. Both Bonerama and Porter-Batiste-Stoltz will be playing. The whole line up looks stellar.

It's All Over

Last night was the final Wednesday in the Square concert. It was a fun, but insanely busy night. For the first time in 3 weeks it didn't rain. I guess every one decided to come out for the last one or something. They actually had us start pouring early, and we poured late. I killed six kegs on my own. SIX. That is a whole lot of freakin beer. I started really pouring about 5. For about 2-1/2 hours the only time I turned my tap off was when the keg was out. It was so hot out that we were all sweating up a storm. The end of the night I was a beer soaked, sweaty mess. But we had FUN! We kept singing along to the songs (it was a cover band) and danced around in one spot. Now what am I gonna do with my Wednesdays???

No Original Ideas here....

Once again, I totally took this from Miss Zoot's site.

7 Things that I’m Uber-Excited About this Summer

1. First and most important, going to see my niece Aubrey finally. I will be in Phoenix over the 4th of July weekend. Not only am I hoping to get some cuddling time with Aubrey, but my aunt and uncle and 3 of my cousins will also be in town.

2. Just like Zoot, I am giddy with excitement over the release of both a Harry Potter movie and the final book. I am hoping that Amazon doesn't mess up my order...I have it pre-ordered and for overnight delivery. I am sure I will end up reading all day/night to finish it....and then re-read it again.

3. My birthday. It is a national holiday. In my world. Come join me...it's fun here. I am not sure what I will be doing, but I know I am going to have fun!!

4. Satchmo Fest. It is a freakin HOT time of the year to have a festival...but it is usually so much fun, that and a few people will be back in town so it will be even better.

5. Mini Road Trips. My housemates and I have been discussing off and on taking mini road trips, to see cities nearby. I want to experience as much of the area as possible.

6. Music. There is actually quite a few acts that I get to see this summer, in a city that gets really quiet during the summer, I have a pretty good musical schedule worked out. It is going to be fun.

7. Possiblity of moving. Not so much excited as anxious. I don't want to leave my house, but if the new people that buy it (no offers accepted yet) raise the rent, we will have to leave.

Ouchie

Yesterday I dropped off the prescriptions my doc had wrote out for me. One for the eppie needle, and one for my tummy. I am pretty sure that she had marked that generic was okay. My guess is that they don't have generic for those or something because I got the name brand....and I walked out of Walgreens with my pocketbook $200+ lighter. Its a damn good thing I am getting paid today!! The eppie needle has changed since the last time I had it....it used to be in a little box kit with the needle, and what other...now it it is kinda like a pen. But thicker in diameter and longer. I am just going to continue to hope that I don't get stung by a bee any time soon!! I think it has been like 11 years since the last time I got stung.

What I don't get

When someone calls your cell phone or home number for that matter and you don't recogize the number and don't pick up, or you happen to miss the call, do you call them back to find out who it is? That is something I don't do. I mean if the person didn't leave me a message, they either didn't really want to talk to me that bad or it was a wrong number. We constantly get those kind of calls here at work. "Yeah, this number showed up as a call I missed, do you know who called me?" " Yes, as a matter of fact I follow around every single person in the building at all times watching and waiting for everyone to make a call out. It is amazing how these cloning things work." Almost usually I can count on 20 questions from the people calling and 9 out of 10 times it was a wrong number. I just don't get it.

Bunch of Randomness

This past weekend was a wonderful one. I spent Friday evening getting caught up on tivo and reading. I was going to go out to the Maple Leaf (suprise, suprise) but I ended up falling asleep! So for the first time in about forever I didn't make it out there.

Saturday morning I went out to Cafe Reconcile and helped out there. We were cleaning out some of the top floors so they can be used properly. It was a very beautiful space and I hope to make it back out there again to help. They usually do work every 3rd Saturday of the month. Later that afternoon I went out to Oak St. There was a little street fair/bbq going on. I ran into a bunch of people I knew. I did make a quick stop in the Maple Leaf, we were looking for someone. The music was fun, Clockwork Elvis. Classic. We headed over to some friend's house that lives right down the street to refresh beverages, and ended up hanging there most of the night, swimming in the pool, talking and listening to music. It was the most relaxing fun evening. Sunday I vegged out, watching TV, reading, laundry. The fun things. Ran a few errands, played with the cats.

Yesterday could have been one of those Monday's. Yet it was so comical to me that I couldn't help but laugh. I slept in a bit since I had a doctor's appt. in the AM. I walked out to catch the bus, and halfway through the park, it departed. So I turned around and called a cab. Which turned out to be a good thing, because right as he was dropping me off, it started to pour. And guess who forgot their umbrella. If I had been on the bus, I would have had to walk 2 blocks in the rain. When I left the Doctors, the rain had stopped. By the time I went to lunch it had started sprinkling a bit, so I borrowed a co-workers umbrella. Half way to the Dog...it became a downpour, making the umbrella pretty much useless. They could have used it inside because it was raining inside the building for awhile!! On my way home, I had just got up to Lee Circle when the bus went rolling by. Meaning I missed that one as well. As I waited it started to rain again, so I ran across the street to the Circle Bar, waited it out under their awning. Which it was over just as fast as it started. I got across the street and eventually got on the bus. We hit about Jackson Street when the downpour started again. I kept thinking to myself "It will be done by the time we get to my stop" Yeah...it didnt. So I made a dash across the park, I should have just walked, I got so soaking wet!! I stayed home all evening, let the storms rage outside. Guess who remembered their umbrella today!!

NOLA Moment

You know it is going to be a great evening when you walk into the bar and your friend playing that night introduces you to some "new friends" and then gets really excited when one of his old dear friends comes in.

Last night was a great night. Paul played about an hour solo, then James Andrews joined him. In the audience were Chris Rose, John Boutte and a whole lot of other people. It was a great night. The music was amazing and the people were even better. I did make new friends, some people from Florida that loved Paul at Jazz Fest that they came back to see him this weekend. They also love Bonerama, they will be hitting at least one Florida show!! :) I had a great night....one that makes me proud to live here.

Seven

Once again, I am lifting a meme from Miss Zoot. It is really for a time waster, I am so bored right now......work is slow

1) I used to cut all the hair on the barbies. My sister HATED that. I thought I always did quite a nice job and for a few minutes I may have even considered being a beautician....then the song Beauty School Drop Out cues up and I take a look at my hair now. I would have sucked doing that.

2) Some people may have know this, but what the hell. In high school? I was into glam rock. You know Poison, Def Leppard, Cinderalla, Warrant....I could go on and on. I was enamored with Rikki Rockett of Poison. I was going to marry him, my sister was going to marry Bobby Dall. Then I went to college and started listening to a lot of country music. A LOT. I still love both kinds of music, however as everyone now knows...I am in LOVE with New Orleans music.

3) During that phase of long haired rocker boys, I did something so stupid, so embarrassing, so crazy that I am reluctant to put it up here. I can't even to this day tell you why I did it, I am going to blame subliminal messages. I called some 900#'s from the house I was babysitting at. To hear messages from New Kids on the Block. I didn't even like the band What the hell???

4) You done laughing at the last one? Moving on....I used to take dance classes. Again back in High School. The school offered them up, and I thought what the hell? For the most part it was fun, did everything from Ballet, clogging, hip hop, you name it....we did it.

5) I am a drama queen. Oh wait, ya'll knew that? okay something else then....I don't like cooked tomatoes. I can eat sauces....just don't give me warm tomatoes. I can't stand them....stewed ones are even worse.

6) I enjoy, no thrill at the tought of getting an eyebrow wax done. It is painful...but I kinda do enjoy it. I really need to go and get one done now.

7) I used to be on the colorguard. You know flags. Yup, I was a flag twirler for most of my high school career. There were a few times I didn't do it, usually because Vanessa and I were fighting....but that was normal.

Holy Crap!!

Guess who is posting from their laptop at home and seems to have gotten it working all by themselves????

Gettin Connected

One month after my laptop at home died, it is finally semi-functional. Once again everything was lost, however this time I had saved most everything. With the exception of the photos from French Quarter Fest and all the songs on itunes. At least I hadn't finished putting all my cds on the computer yet.....it is pretty stripped to the basics. Some of the programs I had like word perfect, are not being offered anymore. Apparently there is a google word that is pretty good, I am going to check that out in a bit. I just can't get the computer to connect to my internet. Actually it connects to our wireless router but can't actually connect from there, I will have a strong signal and everything, but it will say "limited to no connectivity" I have reset the router twice, and still can't get it to connect. I thought maybe it was the storm we had last night, so I will give it another go tonight. Otherwise I am at a loss and will have to call in one of my two computer guru friends.....

On a totally other note, I just got back from my eye doctor....the one I see to check on the ole retinas. I saw him last 6 or 7 months ago, this time he wants to see me in a year. Which means all the laser is working and keeping the holes in the retinas closed, there are no new ones and the surgery I had to reattach the retina in my left eye is still doing good!!! WHOO HOO!!

Weekend

I had a pretty good weekend. Thursday night I caught up with some friends who I hadn't seen in awhile and introduced them to the wonders of Paul Sanchez. Paul even invited one of them to play with him!! I am going to enjoy the Thursday nights in June as he brings in someone new each week. This week James Andrews joins him, the week after is Tork and the final week is none other than Craig Klein. Amazing music all in one space. Friday evening after work I went over to the Big Top and caught the Pfister Sisters, after a quick rest at the house, I headed on over to the Maple Leaf. As I bellied up to the bar Jeff said "It just isn't a Friday night without you here" I don't know if that is a good thing or not. It was a long and wild night. We all had so much fun and I saw a few people that I hadn't expected to see there. Saturday I caught up on some netflix movies and then headed out to the Quarter. It had been extremly warm here all weekend, so I stayed mainly indoors, I caught Freaky T's sets at the 300 Club. The music was just killin. The actual venue? Left a bit to be desired. The staff seemed overwhelmed. Yesterday was cleaning and running errands for the first part of the day, I then had to be out of the house for a few hours, as there was an open house. I didn't feel like going anywhere, so I just went over to Palmer Park and read. I did visit with several neighbors as well, again the hot topic was the house. Our immediate neighbors still want the house.....I hope they get it!

Time Waster

Snagged this off of Miss Zoot's site....and I thought, why not?

What were you doing 10 years ago?
Ten years ago....I was fresh from College, I believe I had just moved to Seattle and was looking for jobs anywhere....I ended up working at a bookstore and found a few stage management gigs...both I ended up staying with until I left Seattle.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
I had just gotten hired full time by the company I had been temping at since returning to NOLA, I was worrying about the same things, as it approches my birthday I go through the same thing.
Five Snacks You Enjoy:
1. Doritos
2.Cheese
3.Grapes
4.Peanuts
5.Chocolate

Five Things You Would Do If You Were a Millionaire:
1.Pay off debts
2.Give money to Parents and Sister
3.Buy a house
4.Buy a car
5.Travel

Five bad habits:
1. drinking too much soda
2.eating too much
3.watching TV too much
4. spending money I don't have
5.vodka

Five Things You Would Never Wear Again:
1. bikini
2.jelly shoes
3.skis
4.bikini
5.skinny jeans

Five Favorite Toys
1. ipod
2.laptop~when it works
3.camera
4.Tivo
5.laser toy for my cat

Music keeps going on...for now

One of the things I love about New Orleans, is the music. There doesn't seem to be a shortage of music at any one time, either coming from the clubs to festivals. This weekend there will be both the Creole Tomato Festival and the Seafood Festival, in the Quarter, with I believe 4 stages. You can see club listings for every night of the week (my favorites to look at are wwoz and offbeat) There is always some good music happening somewhere in town. For example my weekend fun begins tonight. I will catch Paul Sanchez out at d.b.a for an early set. Tomorrow night I will be at the Maple Leaf for Morning 40 Federation. Saturday out at Club 300 for Rick's cd release party (amazing cd). And quite possibly a stop back out at the Maple Leaf.

In today's weekly email from Offbeat, it seems that another place has had to stop with live music. Parkway Bakery and Tavern. It wasn't anywhere I went to hear music, just to have an amazing roast beef po'boy. However, the fact remains that the city is once again cracking down on some venues/resturants/bars that have live music something about having permits. However this was not an issue before Katrina. It seems that one of the main reasons is that the neighbors are complaining. Are they complaining about the noise? The crowds? The fact that people are having fun and they are not? I have no idea. Actually, I do have a theory. I think it may be some of the newer people moving into the area. I really hope that I am wrong on that. Because really if you move into an area, knowing there is a place near by that provides live entertainment, your ass better be able to deal with it. A big part of NOLA is the music. So many of us have worked our butts off to get NOLA music back home, only to have them treated harshly in more ways than one. Other than writing to the city council, I don't know what else can be done. Don't they have better things to do with their time? I think they do.

Reminder

Please make sure your smoke detectors work!! My friend and old housemate's did not. There was a fire at their house on Tuesday night. They got two of the four cats out. My poor Fritzel Ditzel didn't make it. :( Well he wasn't mine, but he was Liza's boyfriend!! She has missed him since he moved. They don't know if the house is rebuildable or not. They were almost done remodeling it. Have a plan, check your smoke detectors.

What is in the air???

I spent most of yesterday with a pounding headache, sore throat and achy body due to allergies. It isn't a cold, I am pretty sure. All I wanted to do was go home and rest. However they were showing the house at 5:15. So I just grabbed my book and went to the park and read. An hour later they all finally left. I ate a little food, then I sat down to watch a little of Kathy Griffin's show on Bravo. Around 7:30 or 7:45? I was asleep. I woke up at 11....fed the cats and went back to bed. I woke up about 4 more times during the night, still with the headache....and yes it is still here today, but not as bad. Sore throat and all that goodness. So what is polluting the air right now? The rest of the week is going to be fairly busy so it would be good to know....will I be feeling this crummy the whole time??

Well Hell

So our neighbors put in an offer yesterday. Within an hour our landlord had turned it down. He thinks he can get the asking price. Which maybe he can, however the reason they went low on it was the previous lead issues we had. When they asked him about it, he totally downplayed it, saying something like the kid and dog drug it in. Well, yes that is true, the dog actually died and the State told the people living downstairs that if they stayed at the house one more night, the State would be taking their son from them. It IS/WAS a big deal. Apparently the final reports haven't come back in yet. Makes me wonder if the house should even be on the market at this point, and how some unsuspecting soul will not know about the lead issues. Also makes me wonder if our landlord was even remotely honest about our lease being safe.

On a totally random side note, how is that it has been raining cats and dogs, yet my allergies are flaring up to no end? I am achy, sore throat, head achy, eyes itching, worn out feeling, sneezing. I thought with the rain it would curb some of the pollutants. *sigh*

Went to fast

Why is it that the short weeks tend to go by at a snail's pace, then the weekend just flies by? Friday night I got home to find that the house was actually put on the market. It was suppose to be this week. I was also informed by our neighbors that according to the realtor's website? There is an open house on Wed. We still haven't been told this from the Landlord's office. The house being on the market was the topic of conversation at the gathering all the neighbors had in the park. That was actually really fun, we got to meet a lot of the neighbors. Later we caught a set of Grayson Capps at d.b.a. We of course ended the night at the Maple Leaf. Saturday we spent part of the day out at the Freret Street Festival. Saw a lot of people I knew, some playing in various bands, some not. It was a nice HOT afternoon. Later Melissa and I went out to, yup you guessed it, the Maple Leaf. We rang in Melissa's birthday there. Yesterday was spent cleaning the house top to bottom. There was a showing of the house yesterday evening, luckily it was our next door neighbors and they are seriously considering buying the house. They would want us to stay.

Time to Remove the Kick Me sign

Computer woes are still going on full force. I talked to the 3rd person at Dell a few weeks ago, and they were going to be sending me the operating cds to reinstall on my computer. It was going to take 5-7 business days to get to me. The 7th business day went by and no cds. I get a call from Dell asking if I had received them yet. I said "no" so the person does a tracking on the cds and finds out that they didn't even bother to send the cds out until the 7th business day. I would be getting the cds on Tuesday because of the holiday. Fine. Tuesday comes and goes...no cds. Wednesday I get a call from my old job, the job I had BK (before Katrina) seems they had a package for me. Seems I remember telling the idiot at Dell specifically NOT to send it to that address as I no longer worked there and to send it to my home address. I finally get the cds, and of course everytime Dell calls (a different person each time) I am not at home in front of my computer. Yesterday I arrange for them to call me at 4:30 cst, I would be home in front of my computer. 4:30 comes and goes. I leave a message for the last person I talk with at 5. 45 mins later I called back. I finally talked to a person, who informed me that they SENT ME THE WRONG FRICKIN CDS. I should have the right ones, at my home on Monday. At 7:30 my phone rang. Guess who it was?? Dell....wanting to know if I wanted to install the cds.....it was the idiot who was suppose to call me at 4:30, correction, it was the person who was handed the call from the person who was suppose to call me at 4:30. OH OH and the best part about all of this????? I got the blue screen of death twice yesterday at work. If I can get through today without ripping someone's head off? Life will be good.