Ten Minutes Til

I am reading the latest issue of The Oxford American

and you should be reading it to0 (follow the link to an order blank; what a steal!). This issue is devoted to New Orleans, 3 years after "the storm" and it's some of the best writing I've ever read. Plus it feels so good to be familiar with the names and places and images I find. I live here now.

My job, the "wonderful" opportunity that seemed too good to be true and enabled me to move back to New Orleans, is ending. It was too good to be true and and it enabled me to move back to New Orleans.

Starting last week (or earlier) I am orchestrating a transition from office worker to... I have a piano student and a performance gig in October and contact info for a cellist I want to work with. I'm joining Toastmasters and trying to get a workshop facilitation gig set up for Bay St. Louis. I'm working on a grant proposal.

It's time, again, to live a patchwork lifestyle. Most everyone says New Orleans lends itself to living in patchwork. I've sorta taken that impression myself from the lives of my little circle of friends here. Every other week is another economic crisis in the world outside Big Easy but beyond giving Fear more room at the Table, I don't know what I could/would do differently. If there's a way to be financially stable without trading in heart and mind, please count me in or show me how. In the meantime, I'm reverting to form, returning to the rhythm that sometimes robs me of sleep but still leaves me free in the ways I apparently need to be free.

"a boyfriend pillow"------>

I am in love. Find the Jazz Vipers online and give them a listen. Then come on down here and we'll go see them live at the Spotted Cat.

My First Evac

I'm back in Gulfport. How strange....

Safe and sound. Ready to go home to New Orleans. More when I can.

Be the Change

or the Question
or the Discourse.

OK. I'll start here. If one parent is "white" and the other parent is "black", what is the rule or convention that labels her/him African American? Why is the "black" part stickier than the "white"?

I'm looking for thorough response here, i.e., give me the history.

*Image borrowed from this web page

There's No Time

...to talk about everything that deserves talking about in my life these days. Best I can do at this point is a bullet-list of points of interest. I'm still looking for an away-from-the-office setup so I can return to SITC. Soon...I'm sure.

• A holiday on St. George Island with my sisters. What a beautiful weekend. I wasn't expecting it and it feels really important...
• It's already time to leave my new job. The mission is spot-on: the setting is a bad fit. I'm reading "The Four Hour Work Week" and networking with people working non-traditional jobs. I'm done with working in offices for other people. And I mean it this time.
• I have osteopenia. I am following the Rx--15 minutes daily of direct sunlight, CitriCal Plus tablets three times a day, 3-5 servings of dairy--except for the "quit smoking" part.
• I've had a couple of "dates". If I don't have some fun on one pretty soon, I'm swearing off "dating."
• Just when I got my bike completely outfitted, summer hit New Orleans full blast. I lasted about two weeks pedaling around in 95 degree heat. I'm back on the bus for now until either the heat/humidity ease up or I get a scooter.
• Couch Surfers!!!! Yay! Meeting folks from around the globe as they spend a few days in my house. What a sensible, humane, progressive project. If you haven't heard about it, check it out here

OK. Gotta go. This is a friend's computer and we're on our way to Whole Foods.

Eye Candy

No time to write but want to post some pics my first Couch Surfer guest sent from her stay. God, we had fun!

When We Last Met

To tie up a few loose ends: The refrigerator mentioned in "The House on Harmony" is working just fine. I'm not thrilled about my new residence; I can admit now that impatience to have my own place drove me to a snap decision that I regret now. But I think I can tough it out for the length of the one-year lease. Yesterday a friend reminded me, "You can always break your lease, Alex. You should be happy where you live and if you're not, you have the right to move."

I'll keep that in mind but it turns out the "poor white trash" guy is the property manager and a very nice man. He lives in the house behind mine. The problematic neighbors who lived in the other half of my house when I moved in have since moved out. And neighbors from two houses across the street have come over and introduced themselves and seem like they'll make good neighbors.

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None of the pictures Carlton took Beauty weekend really showed the full splendor of my hairdo but here are a couple to give you a feel for the weekend. I had a great time in the shop -- a weekly broadcast from there would rival Oprah for entertainment value.

The hairdo only lasted about 10 days. I don't think I'll try that style again: you can't wash your hair while it's in and I had to wear a little cap at night to keep it in shape. I need a more low-maintenance kind of do. But I have to admit I felt quite elegant and sexy for 10 days.

Ultimately, I washed it out and gave myself a real-short haircut. After it grows out a little I'll try another style.

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I'm still smoking (check my right hand in the picture...) but I haven't given up on quitting.

I'm Still Here

I want to be writing here but it's proving harder than anticipated to carve out time and get writer-ly in my work place.

I want to be writing because writing helps me think. I want to write here because I like having an audience and I want my friends to know what's going on around me and in me.

It's going to be a little while before I have computer and Internet access in the house on Harmony Street so I'll keep trying to show up.

Watch for a picture of my new hairdo, coming as soon as Carlton empties his digital camera and sends me the shots he took last weekend. I'm on a mission: I want to look pretty again and as an early step in that direction I visited Beauty on de Bayou and gave Jowald free reign last Friday. I'm pleased, folks are talking at work and I'm getting more play on the street.

Stay tuned....