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adrastos

Great post, Ashley. My wife and I are crazy hardcore New Orleanians too but she's on the faculty of LSU Med School and they've screwed the pooch so we're up in the air for the long run.

We'd feel like deserters if we left now and we're trying hard not to but may have no choice. Life is hard here right now but at least we're surrounded by people in the same leaky, fragile boat. Damn, that's more sincerity from me than you'll get for a full calendar year...

Sophmom

Ashley, I wandered over here after reading your response to my comments at the Wet Bank Guide. I live in Atlanta but the middle of my three sons is a sophomore at Loyola and returned to New Orleans in January. I love the city and have been there frequently as he chose the school and then moved there, but she (and every one of her citizens, wherever they may be) has completely held my heart since I realized where Katrina was going and what she could do.

Great post.

saintseester

I saw an AP article two days ago that said it could take from 5 up to 25 years for N.O. to fully recover. But most people I talk to think, OK, we're done with that - time to move on. They have no clue and have blinders on so they can't see the truth.

Tim P.

I had someone tell me yesterday that New Orleans was exactly like Eugene, OR and that perhaps I would be happier living there if I was such a fish out of water... she had NEVER been to New Orleans, she claimed (with no prior knowledge of the area mind you) that creole=black and cajun=white and that I couldn't be creole because I don't look black, and I had just gotten done saying in an intense and passionate voice how unique the culture is in SE Louisiana and that the ONLY places similar might be Rio in Brazil or Hawaii. She came up with F---ing Eugene?! PLEASE! I had to check for April Fool's sarcasm (she was serious). I told her "no thanks, I hate hippies".

*banging head against wall*

Secession.

Aaron

Believe it or not, I'll feel better after the next hurricane season. Once we figure out what's going to hold and what's not going to hold. I sure as hell don't trust anything being done right now, especially when you have independent agencies saying it's being done wrong. I think I know how you're feeling though - I was there about 4 months ago when I had to move to Houston, knew my house was wasted and I everything I owned fit in my four door car with room to spare, and the future of New Orleans was being debated by the decision makers of the nation. Everything was not ok. It's better today - not a utopia, but not a dystopia either. My advice, don't get on lexapro, the "minimal side-effects" seem to occur to everyone I know who used the stuff; and the drug keeps you from getting depressed but also keeps you from euphoria - you'll just be kinda pleased when you're at Jazz Fest, not truly happy. But wait six more months, things will be more concrete.

Tim P.

P.S. to my last comment.

I'm sorry that you (and everyone else in New Orleans too!) is going through this horribly, overwhelming mindfuck. Those of us in other areas of the country can attest to the lack of understanding from the rest of the US... it's as if they all say "When Katrina hit, I gave (fill in the blank) and I'm a good person now. Those people need to fend for themselves." That was loosely based on several actual conversations from left-leaning, liberal-styled, anti-authoritarian Berkeley types. You guys ARE being ignored... actively and willingly.

Keep in mind, not everyone feels that way. And there are lots of people out there helping. And because I know New Orleans, I know it ain't going down without a very big and very loud fight.

dillyberto

I understand and feel the same.

Know that you are not alone. We will rebuild. Community is what will pull us through.

I humbly beg pardon from you, sir. I have been an ostrich ducking my head in the sand for the past month - no blogging.

The American ideal of rugged individualism and selfish achievement at the expense of others blows away like the plastic bags that once held Krewe D'Etat beads after the parade.

We will make our home better.

Last night, I attended a lecture at Loyola by Dr. Boyd Blundell. It was a real taste of our new life here.

He has a blog:
http://www.tpmcafe.com/node/28359

Crescent City Classic is coming.

FQF is coming.

Hell, Friday is coming.

CHOMPS

I watched Carlos Mencia Sunday night with http://prostheticallyhip.com/ and at first I was pissed but then I let it go and think he might have been short on material. His jokes were dumb and I think that comedy central should have not aired the show.

Snooch

Leave it up to a no talent assclown like yourself to make me actually like Carlos Mencia...

You are not ok...you are gloriously 2nd rate...which I'm sure you're ok with...

Have another drink, boys...the world is going to work every day and passing you by...and you call it "culture"

Mr. Clio

Yeah, Snooch,

Average, lead-poisoned Romans said things like "We're going to work every day and passing you (stupid Gauls, Brits, etc) by . . ."

Those smart, hard-working Romans sure did a nice job maintaining their empire. You know, with their incestuous leadership, sons of former leaders as leaders, etc.

Good thing the American empire isn't following that course.

Keep driving your fat ass to work in some POS SUV and laughing at us, Snooch. Hurry! Hurry! You might be late!

saintseester

What a "class-act" snooch (NOT), kicking a guy when he's down.

snooch

"After your remark about New Orleans culture and rebuilding, I can only hope that an earthquake kills your entire family."
Is this the guy that's the class act? Or is this the guy that deserves my pity cuz he's down?

Hey New Orleans...you're down, but no one is crying for you...now get your ass up...it's not that you're incapable, it's that you're unwilling...

snooch

Oh I love it I love it I love it! Keep the justifications comin' Mr. Clio...

I've never thought of it that way, man...you've opened my eyes to a cultural value that I never realized about New Orleans. So you're saying that, by collectively sitting on the porch all afernoon with a tallboy, you're preventing empire, incest, nepotism, lead poisoning, SUVs, and the most unemployable of personal traits, tardiness...

On second thought, don't keep 'em comin' MR. Clio. Give it up. You're obviously a learned person, but your judgement is clouded. You're too close and cannot regard our city objectively.
Lazy is not culture, and making fun of the guy that's on-time is not a defense of it.

Jonah

Snooch, you have no idea what you are talking about. There is so much still up in the air that people don't know what to do. FEMA hasn't even released new flood maps, 7 MONTHS LATER. We have no idea when block grants will be awarded. Some people don't have insurance money yet. Schools are closed, there are no hospitals, thousands of cars still need to be towed.

Despite all of that there are hundreds of thousands of people back in the metro area, fixing homes, working their jobs and moving along.

My wife and I lost EVERYTHING at our home in midcity. We were lucky because we both have decent jobs that were able to keep us on and we found a place to rent that was DOUBLE our old rent. We were able to get back to the city relatively early, back in October. There are thousands of people in this city like us.

You have no idea what you are talking about.

Mr. Clio

Snooch,

All I know is that I bust my ass every day. I recognize the stereotype you describe, but I don't see many examples of it in my world in the City of New Orleans.

I choose the imperfections of New Orleans over the imperfections of other places. I am not angry at those other places. You seem to be angry at us. Go in peace, bra.

However, if you think other American cities are somehow moral exemplars for "lazy, alcoholic" New Orleanians, I would have to disagree.

Mr. Clio

By the way, the FEMA people who are so derelict about releasing those flood maps Jonah's talking about? How many of 'em do you think are from New Orleans?

Our lazy president? Where's he from? The cowardly and lazy CEO of Ruth's Chris? Where's he from?

ashley

From snooch: "it's not that you're incapable, it's that you're unwilling..."

And with that, goodbye, snooch!

And don't call me an assclown. Assmime, maybe.

Mr. Clio

Also, you're not Angry Ashley.

Months ago, I dubbed thee
The Inimitable Ashley

You and I have simple demons, sir. Mr. Snooch has Mutant Intestinal Parasites from Hell.

Tim P.

I go away for one day...

An assmime, does that mean that one has to have expressive cheeks? Or just real white?

Tim P.

Man, I wish I could edit comments. It's late, I plead insanity due to insomnia... I meant "Or just real white ones?"

Mr. Clio

Where yat, Ashley? After such bumpy post, it'd be good to hear something from you.

hythlodaeus

At the risk of making clueless comments (hey, I'm brave). On your way earlier messages. I can see the guy from Los Angeles' point about moving away from areas that could kill your family - I used to say that back in high school about earthquakes in California! The point is everywhere has something unsafe. I almost moved to Mobile, AL in 2004 because I love that whole region - the culture aspects are unbeatable (and Mobile is only a taste of NOLA).

My brother in-law is currently working construction in NOLA - repairing the schools - I couldn't imagine what he's been describing - I work for a mid-western newspaper and I keep telling him to bring his stinkin' digital camera photos and I'll try to get our publisher to print them. Anyway, my family and I are planning to visit this spring - 'cause I wanna see for myself - I keep trying to find a way to get down there and volunteer but I've got a lot of small kids and no money so I still working on the logistics - one of those good ideas that most likely will never happen.

What I end up hearing from my brother in-law is about all the waste and inefficiency - just the mere fact that they hired my brother in-law who has no good track record in managing projects - I'll can completely imagine that basically no work is getting done.

homer simpsons dad

Males should be allowed to go shirtless at home only - Or vary with places for another persuasive speech topic

phones

I haven't gotten much done , but it's not important. Not much on my mind lately. Today was a total loss, but so it goes.

Soft Cialis

loose weight lest then a month if i eat cereal and fruit and it a small dinner all day and walk a lil bit will i loose weight like that i way about 150lb but the problem is i am by too many fast food restaurants i kept on saying am not going eat there but i end up doing it is hard to past up a juicy hamburger or chicken sh-rips something like that i want to be at least 100-110 i really want a flat belly loll so i hope yall give me some good suggestest

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